Resumo

ECHAVARRIA, Marcela et al. Saliva screening of health care workers for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Rev. argent. microbiol. [online]. 2022, vol.54, n.4, pp.61-70.  Epub 01-Dez-2022. ISSN 0325-7541.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ram.2022.05.001.

Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic transmission accounts for around half of the cases. Saliva testingis an option to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection. To determine the performance of saliva samplesfor screening, HCWs were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. Those with a positive result insaliva were tested by nasopharyngeal swabbing for viral RNA detection and blood collectionto search for the presence of specific antibodies. In September---October 2020, 100 HCWs wereenrolled and followed up. Six subjects (6%) tested positive in saliva. Of them, 5/6 were positivein a subsequent nasopharyngeal swab and 4/6 developed signs and symptoms compatible withCOVID-19. Among the latter, 3 seroconverted while asymptomatic HCWs remained seronega-tive. Saliva screening was helpful for identifying SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs. This screeningpermitted rapid personnel isolation avoiding further transmission of the virus in the hospitalsetting.

Palavras-chave : Saliva; Screening; Health care workers; Asymptomatic; PCR; SARS CoV-2.

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