Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.

<h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of seven antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) in a clinical setting to identify those that could be recommended for use in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>This wa...

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Main Authors: Josephine Bwogi, Tom Lutalo, Phionah Tushabe, Henry Bukenya, James Peter Eliku, Isaac Ssewanyana, Susan Nabadda, Christopher Nsereko, Matthew Cotten, Robert Downing, Julius Lutwama, Pontiano Kaleebu, EPI Laboratory team, UVRI -COVID 19 Technical team
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265334&type=printable
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author Josephine Bwogi
Tom Lutalo
Phionah Tushabe
Henry Bukenya
James Peter Eliku
Isaac Ssewanyana
Susan Nabadda
Christopher Nsereko
Matthew Cotten
Robert Downing
Julius Lutwama
Pontiano Kaleebu
EPI Laboratory team
UVRI -COVID 19 Technical team
author_facet Josephine Bwogi
Tom Lutalo
Phionah Tushabe
Henry Bukenya
James Peter Eliku
Isaac Ssewanyana
Susan Nabadda
Christopher Nsereko
Matthew Cotten
Robert Downing
Julius Lutwama
Pontiano Kaleebu
EPI Laboratory team
UVRI -COVID 19 Technical team
author_sort Josephine Bwogi
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of seven antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) in a clinical setting to identify those that could be recommended for use in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a cross-sectional prospective study. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected consecutively from COVID-19 PCR positive and COVID-19 PCR negative participants at isolation centers and points of entry, and tested with the SARS-CoV-2 Ag RDTs. Test sensitivity and specificity were generated by comparing results against qRT-PCR results (Berlin Protocol) at a cycle threshold (Ct) cut-off of ≤39. Sensitivity was also calculated at Ct cut-offs ≤29 and ≤33.<h4>Results</h4>None of the Ag RDTs had a sensitivity of ≥80% at Ct cut-off values ≤33 and ≤39. Two kits, Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag and VivaDiag™ SARS-CoV-2 Ag had a sensitivity of ≥80% at a Ct cut-off value of ≤29. Four kits: BIOCREDIT COVID -19 Ag, COVID-19 Ag Respi-Strip, MEDsan® SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test and Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test had a specificity of ≥97%.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This evaluation identified one Ag RDT, Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag with a performance at high viral load (Ct value ≤29) reaching that recommended by WHO. This kit was recommended for screening of patients with COVID -19-like symptoms presenting at health facilities.
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spelling doaj-art-e1145814dc984936aead23b30a1a87992025-08-20T02:31:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01175e026533410.1371/journal.pone.0265334Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.Josephine BwogiTom LutaloPhionah TushabeHenry BukenyaJames Peter ElikuIsaac SsewanyanaSusan NabaddaChristopher NserekoMatthew CottenRobert DowningJulius LutwamaPontiano KaleebuEPI Laboratory teamUVRI -COVID 19 Technical team<h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of seven antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) in a clinical setting to identify those that could be recommended for use in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a cross-sectional prospective study. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected consecutively from COVID-19 PCR positive and COVID-19 PCR negative participants at isolation centers and points of entry, and tested with the SARS-CoV-2 Ag RDTs. Test sensitivity and specificity were generated by comparing results against qRT-PCR results (Berlin Protocol) at a cycle threshold (Ct) cut-off of ≤39. Sensitivity was also calculated at Ct cut-offs ≤29 and ≤33.<h4>Results</h4>None of the Ag RDTs had a sensitivity of ≥80% at Ct cut-off values ≤33 and ≤39. Two kits, Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag and VivaDiag™ SARS-CoV-2 Ag had a sensitivity of ≥80% at a Ct cut-off value of ≤29. Four kits: BIOCREDIT COVID -19 Ag, COVID-19 Ag Respi-Strip, MEDsan® SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test and Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test had a specificity of ≥97%.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This evaluation identified one Ag RDT, Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag with a performance at high viral load (Ct value ≤29) reaching that recommended by WHO. This kit was recommended for screening of patients with COVID -19-like symptoms presenting at health facilities.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265334&type=printable
spellingShingle Josephine Bwogi
Tom Lutalo
Phionah Tushabe
Henry Bukenya
James Peter Eliku
Isaac Ssewanyana
Susan Nabadda
Christopher Nsereko
Matthew Cotten
Robert Downing
Julius Lutwama
Pontiano Kaleebu
EPI Laboratory team
UVRI -COVID 19 Technical team
Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
PLoS ONE
title Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
title_full Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
title_fullStr Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
title_full_unstemmed Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
title_short Field evaluation of the performance of seven Antigen Rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of SARs-CoV-2 virus infection in Uganda.
title_sort field evaluation of the performance of seven antigen rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of sars cov 2 virus infection in uganda
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265334&type=printable
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