Diagnostic performance of upper airway sampling sites for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza testing

Abstract

Upper respiratory infections are the most common condition in primary care. Therefore, their early diagnosis is essential to control infectious disease transmission within the community. Here, we show that throat swabs were more sensitive than nasopharyngeal swabs and saliva for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Furthermore, throat and nasal swabs were more effective in detecting influenza compared to nasopharyngeal swabs. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05765838 .