ARE SALIVA TESTINGS AS EFFECTIVE AS PCR TESTINGS?

Abstract

Saliva testing is a diagnostic technique that involves laboratory analysis of saliva to identify markers of endocrine, immunologic, inflammatory, and infectious diseases such as those widely associated with COVID-19. Currently, Saliva testing is not as widely used as the PCR laboratory tests from the variable COVID-19 testing sites around the globe. The purpose of this research study is to determine the effectiveness of Saliva Testing (ST) and its equal and better collecting method for SARS-CoV-2 from specimens, compared to traditional PCR Testing. To prove this, the example from seventy hospitalized patients in the United States was provided in this paper. These individuals’ samples were collected by Nasopharyngeal Swabbing (PCR). Then, they were reexamined by dividing them into 2 groups. While one group was sampled from a repeating NPS method, the other group was sampled from specimen saliva testing. Patients who had a self-collected saliva test received an average of 80% positive results, while those who repeated an NPS test received an average of 70% positive results. Similarly, 495 asymptomatic healthcare workers with possible COVID-19 exposures were tested by both nasopharyngeal (NP) swabbing and saliva testing. While 9 healthcare workers were confirmed positive from the NP Swabbings, 13 participants' saliva specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Later, all 13 asymptomatic patients (including 9 participants) were COVID-19 confirmed by additional NP swabs. Studies show that saliva testing is likely to show more accurate results than NP swabbing. It was found that saliva testing was as accurate as PCR testing. It is also a viable testing method for COVID-19 diagnosis.