Comparative study on Saliva and Nasopharyngeal swabs and the outcome of RT-PCR test in patients with mild symptoms of SARS-CoV-2

AIM

A simple and reliable method for diagnosing COVID 19 infections is the needed. The role of saliva in the transmission of the infection has already been established.

METHOD

Saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs from patients suspected to have COVID 19 infections were taken simultaneously, and the results of the RT-PCR were compared.

RESULT

Total 405 samples were collected, of which 250 males and 155 females. In the 391 samples included for analysis, 370 (94.63%) samples were found to have concordance results, and 21 (5.37%) samples had discordant results.

CONCLUSION

The use of saliva to diagnose COVID 19 infection is reliable, and its use can be recommended.

Changes in reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 with topical povidone iodine use: A single-arm open-label interventional study

Context:

Repurposed povidone iodine (PVP-I) has been suggested as an effective adjuvant against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Aim:

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values of severe acute respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genes with PVP-I intranasal and oral application.

Settings and Design:

A longitudinal (repeated measures) single-arm open-label interventional study was conducted for 200 samples of ten COVID-19 patients in South India.

Methods and Material:

Demographic and clinical information were collected. Intranasal application and oral gargle with 1% PVP-I solution was done four times a day for seven days. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples were taken for RT-PCR test at hour-0, hour-2, hour-4 on Day-0, Day-3, Day-6, and hour-0 on Day-9.

Methods and Material:

STATA analysis software version 14.2 was used. McNemar Test was applied for paired samples. Skilling Mack Test was used to assess the association between PVP-I use (intra-day and inter-day) and E gene/N gene Ct values. Pearson correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were used for further analyses.

Results:

Mean (SD) age of the patients was 41.5 (±8.82) years. A total of 100 pairs of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples were analysed. No significant difference was observed in the Ct values of asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. E gene Ct values (nasopharyngeal) at Hour-0 increased from Day-0 to Day-9 (P = 0.005). Ct value was higher at Hour-2 for most of the samples.

Conclusions:

RT‐PCR results (qualitative) differed at various testing points in the same patients. Lower Ct values were found in the nasopharyngeal samples. Successive increase in E gene Ct values indicates reduced viral load with natural course of COVID-19. PVP-I may have an optimal impact within 2 h of usage.

Clinical trial registration number:

CTRI/2020/05/024962.

A unique human rotavirus (non vaccine) G9P4 genotype infection in a child with gastroenteritis

Group A Rotaviruses with serotypes G1-G4 and G9 are the common Rotavirus types of clinical importance. This study aimed at determining the different Rotavirus genotypes in stool sample of children below 5 years. A total of 300 children with acute gastroenteritis were tested for group specific VP6 antigen of group A Rotaviruses by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. 47 of these samples were positive for Rotavirus antigen. Out of these, 20 positive samples were subjected to Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction for genotyping. The identified genotypes were G9P8, G1P8, G2P4, G9P4 (non-vaccine genotype), G1P6, and G1 (P types not identified in 5 samples).