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Sars-CoV-2 Detection by Self-Testing: A Method that Makes Surveillance Programs Possible and Effective

20 Pages Posted: 12 Jan 2021

See all articles by Paula Iruzubieta

Paula Iruzubieta

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Tatiana Fernández-Lanas

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Laura Rasines

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Lorena Cayon

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Ana Álvarez-Cancelo

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Álvaro Santos-Laso

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Agustín García-Blanco

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Soraya Curiel

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Joaquín Cabezas

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Reinhard Wallmann

Division of Epidemiology and Computational Biology, Cantabria University School of Medicine

Emilio Fábrega

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Víctor M. Martínez-Taboada

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla

José L. Hernández

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla - Internal Medicine Division

Marcos Lopez-Hoyos

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) - Transplantation and Autoimmunity Laboratory

Jeffrey V. Lazarus

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

Javier Crespo

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla - Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department

More...

Abstract

Background: The simplicity and low cost of rapid point-of-care tests greatly facilitate large-scale population testing, which can contribute to controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Methods: Between April and May 2020, the applicability of a self-testing strategy for SARS-CoV2 detection was evaluated in a population-based, cross-sectional study in Cantabria, Spain. For the self-testing strategy, participants received the necessary material for blood self-collection and performance of a rapid antibodies test using lateral flow immunoassay at home without the supervision of healthcare personnel.

Findings: A total of 1,022 participants were enrolled. The vast majority of participants correctly performed the COVID-19 self-test the first time (91.3% [95% IC 89.4-92.9]). Only a minority of participants (0.7%) needed the help of healthcare personnel, and 6.9% required a second kit delivery, for a total valid test result in 96.9% of the participants. Incorrect use of the self-test did not depend on the educational level, age over 65 years, or housing area. Prevalence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV2 for subjects with a valid rapid test result was 3.1% (95% IC 2.2-4.4), similar to the seroprevalence result obtained using a conventional approach carried out by healthcare professionals.

Interpretation: A strategy of COVID-19 self-testing could be applied as a screening tool in surveillance programs.

Funding Statement: No funding.

Declaration of Interests: The authors report no relevant conflict of interest or
disclosures relevant to this manuscript.

Ethics Approval Statement: The Ethics Committee of investigation of Cantabria approved this study (code 2020.176) and written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Keywords: SARS-CoV2, infectious diseases self-testing, point-of-care rapid test, virus control

Suggested Citation

Iruzubieta, Paula and Fernández-Lanas, Tatiana and Rasines, Laura and Cayon, Lorena and Álvarez-Cancelo, Ana and Santos-Laso, Álvaro and García-Blanco, Agustín and Curiel, Soraya and Cabezas, Joaquín and Wallmann, Reinhard and Fábrega, Emilio and Martínez-Taboada, Víctor M. and Hernández, José L. and Lopez-Hoyos, Marcos and Lazarus, Jeffrey V. and Crespo, Javier, Sars-CoV-2 Detection by Self-Testing: A Method that Makes Surveillance Programs Possible and Effective. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3746276 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3746276

Paula Iruzubieta

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Tatiana Fernández-Lanas

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Laura Rasines

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Lorena Cayon

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Ana Álvarez-Cancelo

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Álvaro Santos-Laso

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Agustín García-Blanco

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Soraya Curiel

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Joaquín Cabezas

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla UniversityHospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL ( email )

Reinhard Wallmann

Division of Epidemiology and Computational Biology, Cantabria University School of Medicine ( email )

Emilio Fábrega

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital. Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL

Víctor M. Martínez-Taboada

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla ( email )

José L. Hernández

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla - Internal Medicine Division ( email )

Marcos Lopez-Hoyos

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) - Transplantation and Autoimmunity Laboratory ( email )

Spain

Jeffrey V. Lazarus

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) ( email )

Javier Crespo (Contact Author)

Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla - Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department ( email )

Cantabria
Spain

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