Comparison of Home Antigen Testing With RT-PCR and Viral Culture During the Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
2022
As the availability of at-home self-collected antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 increases, understanding their efficacy is crucial. A study in San Diego and Denver between January and May 2021 assessed the reliability of these tests against standard RT-PCR tests and viral cultures.
Of the 225 participants with confirmed infections, the antigen test sensitivity was found to be 50% during the infectious period, 64% against the same-day RT-PCR, and 84% against the same-day cultures. Sensitivity was highest (77%) four days post illness onset and showed improvement when a second test was administered 1-2 days after the initial one. Six days post illness onset, 61% of the antigen tests were positive. 96% of surveyed individuals indicated a preference for at-home antigen tests if available over the counter.
The findings suggest that while the at-home tests have moderate sensitivity against RT-PCR, they perform well compared to viral culture. For best results, retesting a couple of days after a negative result is recommended, especially since sensitivity peaks a few days after the onset of symptoms.
Source:
Chu VT, Schwartz NG, Donnelly MAP et al. Comparison of Home Antigen Testing With RT-PCR and Viral Culture During the Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. JAMA Internal Medicine 2022; 182 (7): 701-709. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.1827
Not Open Access