Publication: A Comparative Study of Rapid SARS-Cov-2 Antigen Detection Assay against RT-PCR Assay for Diagnosis of COVID-19 in a Tertiary Hospital of Kathmandu
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide since its
first recorded case in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019. SARS-CoV-2
infection causes asymptomatic to sever pneumonia. Severe cases may develop acute
respiratory disease symdrome (ARDS), with an average mortality rate of 6.9%. Real
Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) assay is the current
reference standard laboratory method for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
However, it takes around 6-8 hours to get the result and is time consuming. Therefore,
rapid and accurate tests for SARS-CoV-2 screening are essential to expedite disease
prevention and control. Lateral flow immunoassay using monoclonal anti SARS-CoV-2
antibodies which target for SARS-CoV-2 antigen can be complimentary screening
test if their accuracy were comparable to that of the real time reverse transcription-
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay.
Objective
To find the sensitivity and specificity of a rapid antigentest kit in comparison to
reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Method
A cross-sectional hospital based study was carried out at Shree Birendra Army
Hospital, Kathmandu for a period of four months.
Result
Our finding shows sensitivity and specificity of rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) Ag kit
as 60.6% and 96.4% respectively. Positive and negative predictive value was 83.7%
and 89.0%. Likewise, positive and negative likelihood ratio was 17.0 and 0.4. The
overall accuracy of the antigen kit was 88.1% in comparison to reverse transcription-
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as the gold standard.
Conclusion
Our study concluded the use of rapid antigen kit is mainly useful for screening
purposes.
KEY WORDS
RDT Ag Kit, RT-PCR, SARS-CoV-2
Description
Chaudhary R,1 Bhatta S,1 Singh A,1 Pradhan M,1 Moktan B,2 Duwal S,3 Pandit R4,5
1Department of Microbiology
Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences(NAIHS)
Bhandharkhal, Kathmandu, Nepal
2Department of Laboratory Medicine
Shree Birendra Army Hospital
Kathmandu, Nepal
3Department of Hygiene and Sanitation
Shree Birendra Army Hospital
Kathmandu, Nepal
4National Public Health Laboratory
Department of Health Services
Ministry of Health and Population
Kathmandu, Nepal
5Shanghai Institute of Immunology
Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Shanghai, China
Keywords
RDT Ag Kit, RT-PCR, SARS-CoV-2