Tembo, John;
Egbe, Nkongho Franklyn;
Maluzi, Kwitaka;
Mulonga, Kangwa;
Chilufya, Moses;
Kapata, Nathan;
Mukonka, Victor;
... Bates, Matthew; + view all
(2022)
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Zambia.
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.017.
(In press).
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To conduct a diagnostic validation study of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic kits. METHODOLOGY: We compared SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test results from three RT-PCR assays used by the Zambian government between Nov 2020 to Feb 2021 (the Panther Fusion® assay, Da An Gene's 2019-nCoV RNA kit and Maccura's PCR Kit) with the Altona RealStar RT-PCR kit which served as the gold standard. We also evaluated results from rapid antigen testing, and whether co-morbidities were linked with increased odds of infection. RESULTS: We recruited 244 participants, 61% (149/244) were positive by at least one PCR assay. Da An Gene, Maccura and Panther Fusion assays had sensitivities of 0.0% (95%CI 0-41%), 27.1% (95%CI 15-42%) and 76% (95%CI 65-85%) respectively but specificity was low (<85% for all three assays). HIV and TB were not associated with SARS-CoV-2, whereas female sex (OR 0.5 (0.3-0.9), p = 0.026) and Chronic Pulmonary Disease (0.1 (0.0-0.8), p = 0.031), were associated with lower odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection. 84% of 44 samples sequenced were Beta variant. CONCLUSIONS: The RT-PCR assays evaluated did not meet WHO recommended minimum sensitivity of 80%. Local diagnostic validation studies should be embedded within preparedness plans for future outbreaks to improve the public health response.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Zambia |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.017 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.04.017 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
| Keywords: | SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, diagnostics, serology, real time- PCR, lateral flow test, RDTs, comorbidities |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Infection and Immunity UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10147537 |
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