Evaluation of a rapid antigen detection test (Panbio™ COVID‐19 Ag Rapid Test Device) as a point‐of‐care diagnostic tool for COVID‐19 in a pediatric emergency department
Abstract We evaluated the Panbio™ COVID‐19 Ag Rapid Test Device as a point‐of‐care diagnostic tool for COVID‐19 in 357 patients at a pediatric emergency department. Thirty‐four patients tested positive by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, of which 24 were positive by the antigen assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 70.5% and 100%, respectively.
Upper respiratory tract SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in symptomatic and asymptomatic children and adults
ABSTRACTObjectivesThere is limited information comparing SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in the upper respiratory tract (URT) between children and adults, either presenting with COVID-19 or asymptomatic. Here we conducted a retrospective, single center study involving a large cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals to address this issue.Patients and MethodsA total of 1,184 consecutive subjects (256 children and 928 adults) testing positive for SARS-COV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal exudates (NP) were included, of whom 424 (121 children and 303 adults) had COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization and 760 (135 children and 625 adults) were asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testin…