Elsevier

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

Volume 39, Issue 4, October–December 2021, Pages 457-461
Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

Original Research Article
Rapid antigen detection kit for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 - are we missing asymptomatic patients?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmmb.2021.07.003Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the utility, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of the laboratory based Covid-19 antigen detection test (Coris Bio- Concept, Gembloux, Belgium) for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in a tertiary care hospital among symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Methods

The nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from the symptomatic patients and their contacts. The diagnostic accuracy of this antigen kit was determined in comparison to SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR).

Results

A total of 825 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study; RT-PCR and antigen detection was performed simultaneously for 484 samples to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the test. The overall specificity and sensitivity was 99.32% and 71.96% respectively. Also, 3.7% of the asymptomatic patients who were negative by RAT were detected positive by RT-PCR.

Conclusion

This rapid antigen test (RAT) was sensitive in the symptomatic patients presenting during the initial phase of the illness. Since, majority of the SARS-CoV-2 patients are asymptomatic and considering the huge population, the testing strategy formulated by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at the national level was cost effective. Thus, Ag-RDTs could play a pivotal role in early diagnosis, policy making and surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2
Rapid antigen detection
Point-of-care

Cited by (0)

1

Shared 1st author by Dr. Rimjhim Kanaujia and Dr. Arnab Ghosh.

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