Saliva or Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 | NEJM

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2016359?query=recirc_mostViewed_railB_article

Saliva or Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens for Detection of SARS-CoV-2

Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the saliva of asymptomatic persons and outpatients.^1-3 We therefore screened 495 asymptomatic health care workers who provided written informed consent to participate in our prospective study, and we used RT-qPCR to test both saliva and nasopharyngeal samples obtained from these persons. We detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva specimens obtained from 13 persons who did not report any symptoms at or before the time of sample collection. Of these 13 health care workers, 9 had collected matched nasopharyngeal swab specimens by themselves on the same day, and 7 of these specimens tested negative (Fig. S2). The diagnosis in the 13 health care workers with positive saliva specimens was later confirmed in diagnostic testing of additional nasopharyngeal samples by a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988)–certified laboratory.