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Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Large-Scale SARS-CoV-2 Testing Utilizing Saliva and Transposition Sample Pooling
Published on: June 23, 2022
Performance of High Throughput SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing Compared to Nucleic Acid Testing
Octavia Peck Palmer1, Joanne H Hasskamp2, Hae-Sun La3
1Department of Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PAUS.
Objective:
Independent assessment of SARS-CoV-2 antigen (COV2Ag) tests remains important as varying performance between assays is common. We assessed the performance of a new high-throughput COV2Ag test compared to SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT).
Methods:
A total of 347 nasopharyngeal samples collected from January to October 2021 were assessed by NAAT as part of standard-of-care testing (CDC LDT or GeneXpert System, Cepheid) and COV2Ag using the ADVIA Centaur CoV2Ag assay (Siemens Healthineers).
Results:
Among NAAT positive specimens we found 82.4% agreement and in NAAT negative specimens we found 97.3% agreement (overall agreement 85.6%). In symptomatic persons, COV2Ag agreed with NAAT 90.0% (n = 291), and in asymptomatic persons, 62.5% (n = 56). Agreement between positive NAAT and COV2Ag increased at lower cycle threshold (Ct) values.
Conclusion:
The COV2Ag assay exceeded the World Health Organization minimum performance requirements of ≥ 80% sensitivity and ≥ 97% specificity. The COV2Ag assay is helpful for large scale screening efforts due to high-throughput and reduced wait times.
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