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. 2022 Mar-Apr;26(2):102349.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjid.2022.102349. Epub 2022 Mar 21.

Evaluation of the Panbio™ COVID-19 ag rapid test at an emergency room in a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil

Klinger Soares Faíco-Filho  1 , Francisco Estivallet Finamor Júnior  2 , Luiz Vinícius Leão Moreira  1 , Paulo Ricardo Gessolo Lins  3 , Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo  1 , Nancy Bellei  4
Affiliations

Evaluation of the Panbio™ COVID-19 ag rapid test at an emergency room in a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil

Klinger Soares Faíco-Filho et al. Braz J Infect Dis. 2022 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Background: The performance characteristics of the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test was evaluated at an emergency room setting against RT-PCR, considered the gold-standard for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, in São Paulo, Brazil. The study aimed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, Positive Percent Agreement (PPA), and Negative Percent Agreement (NPA) as compared to RT-PCR.

Methods: Specimens from 127 suspected patients were tested by both the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test and by RT-PCR.

Results: In relation to RT-PCR using Ct values ≤ 40 as the upper limit for positivity, the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test showed an overall sensitivity of 84.3% (95% CI 75‒93.8%) and 98.2% (95% CI 96‒98.8%) overall specificity. For Ct values ≤ 25 (n = 37), the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test showed 97% sensitivity.

Discussion: The concordance between the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test and RT-PCR was 97% at Ct values below 25 but decreased at higher Ct values. For disease control, it is very important to identify infected individuals who present COVID-19 symptoms and also those who are suspected of infection due to contact with infected individuals.

Conclusion: The Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test is suitable for use as a diagnostic test for rapid screening of patients presenting COVID-19 symptoms, or those suspected of being infected, prior to being admitted to hospital.

Keywords: Hospital; Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag test; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
ROC curve of PanbioTM COVID-19 Ag test results according to the Ct value used to define a positive RT-PCR test result.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of Ct values according to time elapsed from symptoms onset among RT-PCR-positive samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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