Saliva-based Proteinase K method: A rapid and reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of SARS-COV-2 in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Virology
• Molecular diagnostics

Background:

• Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in children is crucial for preventing transmission and severe illness.
• Saliva offers a simple, non-invasive sample collection method for pediatric viral diagnostics.
• Conventional nasopharyngeal aspiration (NPA) methods can be challenging in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a Proteinase K (PTK)-based RNA preparation method for SARS-CoV-2 detection in children's saliva.
• To compare the diagnostic accuracy of saliva-based PTK detection with conventional NPA-based methods.
• To assess the impact of the PTK method on test processing time and its correlation with patient clinical status.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 detection rates between saliva-based PTK and NPA-based methods in children.
• Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the saliva-based PTK method.
• Analysis of cycle threshold (Ct) values in saliva samples from admission to discharge in pediatric COVID-19 patients.

Main Results:

• The saliva-based PTK method demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (98.8%) compared to NP swab-based RT-PCR.
• Saliva samples analyzed using the PTK method exhibited high sensitivity (94.1%) and specificity (100%).
• The PTK method significantly reduced test processing time by 2 hours and showed increased Ct values at discharge.

Conclusions:

• The saliva-based PTK method is a rapid, safe, and cost-effective tool for SARS-CoV-2 detection in children.
• This streamlined RNA extraction process offers a reliable alternative for pediatric viral diagnostics.
• The method simplifies sample handling and processing, improving efficiency in clinical settings.