Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Foreign Workers at Samut Sakhon Province: Lessons Learned From Saliva Samples Collection
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, foreign workers, Sentinel surveillance, saliva samplesAbstract
Department of Medical Sciences conducted a pilot study on a sentinel surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in deep throat saliva collected from a foreign worker group in May 2020. Samut Sakhon, one of the provinces with the highest number of foreign workers in Thailand, was a site for the study. We organized meetings with all stakeholders within the province on project planning, areas for samples collection, training and demonstration on how to collect deep throat saliva, monitoring and reporting results of the project. A total of 2,168 saliva samples were collected from foreign workers. Six of them were excluded from the study due to unqualified samples. The rest of saliva samples showed negative results. Our study indicated that improvement on pre-analytical management of specimens is essential for future sentinel surveillances of the foreign worker group.
References
World Health Organization. Transmission of Sars-CoV-2: implications for infection prevention precautions. [online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]; [20 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/transmission-of-sars-cov-2-implicationsfor-infection-prevention-precautions.
World Health Organization. Laboratory testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in suspected human cases: interim guidance, 19 March 2020. [online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]; [7 screens]. Available from: URL: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331501/WHO-COVID-19-laboratory-2020.5-eng.pdf.
To KKW, Tsang OTY, Leung WS, Tam AR, Wu TC, Lung DC, el al. Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. [serial online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]; 20(5): [27 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30196-1/fulltext.
Xu R , Cui B , Duan X , Zhang P , Zhou X, Yuan Q. Saliva: potential diagnostic value and transmission of 2019-nCoV. Int J Oral Sci. [serial online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]; 12: [6 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41368-020-0080-z.pdf.
Pasomsub E, Watcharananan SP, Boonyawat K, Janchompoo P, Wongtabtim G, Suksuwan W, et al. Saliva sample as a non-invasive specimen for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019: a cross-sectional study. Clin Microbiol Infect. [serial online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]: [4 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7227531/pdf/main.pdf.
Lohse S, Pfuhl T, Berkó-GÖttel B, Rissland J, Geiβler T, Gärtner B, el al. Pooling of samples for testing for SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic people. Lancet Infect Dis. [serial online]. 2020; [cited 7 Aug 2020]; [2 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30362-5/fulltext.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA issues first emergency authorization for sample pooling in diagnostic testing. [online.]. 2020; [cited 7 Aug 2020]; [2 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pressannouncements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-issues-first-emergency-authorizationsample-pooling-diagnostic.
Kucharski AJ, Klepac P, Conlan AJK, Kissler SM, Tang ML, Fry H, et al. Effectiveness of isolation, testing, contact tracing, and physical distancing on reducing transmission of SARSCoV-2 in different settings: a mathematical modelling study. Lancet Infect Dis. [serial online]. 2020; [cited 31 Jul 2020]: [10 screens]. Available from: URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30457-6/fulltext.
Lippi G, von Meyer A, Cadamuro J, Simundic AM. PREDICT: a checklist for preventing preanalytical diagnostic errors in clinical trials. Clin Chem Lab Med 2020; 58(4): 518-26.
Plebani M. Diagnostic errors and laboratory medicine-causes and strategies. EJIFCC 2015; 26(1): 7-14.
