TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 Viral Shedding and Rapid Antigen Test Performance — Respiratory Virus Transmission Network, November 2022–May 2023
AU - RVTN-Sentinel Study Group
AU - Smith-Jeffcoat, Sarah E.
AU - Mellis, Alexandra M.
AU - Grijalva, Carlos G.
AU - Talbot, H. Keipp
AU - Schmitz, Jonathan
AU - Lutrick, Karen
AU - Ellingson, Katherine D.
AU - Stockwell, Melissa S.
AU - McLaren, Son H.
AU - Nguyen, Huong Q.
AU - Rao, Suchitra
AU - Asturias, Edwin J.
AU - Davis-Gardner, Meredith E.
AU - Suthar, Mehul S.
AU - Kirking, Hannah L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Department of Health and Human Services. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/4/25
Y1 - 2024/4/25
N2 - As population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 evolves and new variants emerge, the role and accuracy of antigen tests remain active questions. To describe recent test performance, the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by antigen testing was compared with that by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and viral culture testing during November 2022–May 2023. Participants who were enrolled in a household transmission study completed daily symptom diaries and collected two nasal swabs (tested for SARS-CoV-2 via RT-PCR, culture, and antigen tests) each day for 10 days after enrollment. Among participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the percentages of positive antigen, RT-PCR, and culture results were calculated each day from the onset of symptoms or, in asymptomatic persons, from the date of the first positive test result. Antigen test sensitivity was calculated using RT-PCR and viral culture as references. The peak percentage of positive antigen (59.0%) and RT-PCR (83.0%) results occurred 3 days after onset, and the peak percentage of positive culture results (52%) occurred 2 days after onset. The sensitivity of antigen tests was 47% (95% CI = 44%–50%) and 80% (95% CI = 76%–85%) using RT-PCR and culture, respectively, as references. Clinicians should be aware of the lower sensitivity of antigen testing compared with RT-PCR, which might lead to false-negative results. This finding has implications for timely initiation of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral treatment, when early diagnosis is essential; clinicians should consider RT-PCR for persons for whom antiviral treatment is recommended. Persons in the community who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness and eligible for antiviral treatment should seek testing from health care providers with the goal of obtaining a more sensitive diagnostic test than antigen tests (i.e., an RT-PCR test).
AB - As population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 evolves and new variants emerge, the role and accuracy of antigen tests remain active questions. To describe recent test performance, the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by antigen testing was compared with that by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and viral culture testing during November 2022–May 2023. Participants who were enrolled in a household transmission study completed daily symptom diaries and collected two nasal swabs (tested for SARS-CoV-2 via RT-PCR, culture, and antigen tests) each day for 10 days after enrollment. Among participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the percentages of positive antigen, RT-PCR, and culture results were calculated each day from the onset of symptoms or, in asymptomatic persons, from the date of the first positive test result. Antigen test sensitivity was calculated using RT-PCR and viral culture as references. The peak percentage of positive antigen (59.0%) and RT-PCR (83.0%) results occurred 3 days after onset, and the peak percentage of positive culture results (52%) occurred 2 days after onset. The sensitivity of antigen tests was 47% (95% CI = 44%–50%) and 80% (95% CI = 76%–85%) using RT-PCR and culture, respectively, as references. Clinicians should be aware of the lower sensitivity of antigen testing compared with RT-PCR, which might lead to false-negative results. This finding has implications for timely initiation of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral treatment, when early diagnosis is essential; clinicians should consider RT-PCR for persons for whom antiviral treatment is recommended. Persons in the community who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness and eligible for antiviral treatment should seek testing from health care providers with the goal of obtaining a more sensitive diagnostic test than antigen tests (i.e., an RT-PCR test).
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85191464783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85191464783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15585/mmwr.mm7316a2
DO - 10.15585/mmwr.mm7316a2
M3 - Article
C2 - 38668391
AN - SCOPUS:85191464783
SN - 0149-2195
VL - 73
SP - 365
EP - 371
JO - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
JF - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
IS - 16
ER -