IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

Assessing the Efficacy and Responsiveness of the Laboratory-Based Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Test for Detecting SARS -CoV-2 Antigens

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Surabhi Dixit, Dr. Chayanika Putatunda1*, Dr. Pooja Singh, Dr. Rakesh Gupta

Abstract

Objectives: To detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and evaluate the diagnostic precision of the GenBody COVID-19 Antigen kit. Methodology: Swabs were taken from individuals suspected of having COVID-19, specifically from the nose and throat. These swabs were then evaluated using the RT- the GenBody Rapid antigen kit. The performance characteristics of the antigen kit were computed. Results: We performed analyses on samples collected from both the nasopharynx and oropharynx, with a total sample size of 50000. The rapid antigen test yielded a positive result for 21108 cases, showing an overall sensitivity rate of 42.21%. The mean cycle threshold (Ct) values in individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 were 27.3. In addition, among the overall number of infected cases, 27,550 were men, accounting for 55.1% of the total, while 22,450 were females, making up 44.9%. Furthermore, 50.15% of all the individuals who were affected had symptoms. Subsequent examination revealed that 36% of patients who received a positive result on the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) were within the age range of 15-47, whereas 50% of RDT-positive patients were in the age bracket of 48-63. Conclusion: The fast antigen kit performed well in detecting high viral load samples, however, it missed detecting samples with lower levels of the virus. Regrettably, the antigen kit's insufficient sensitivity precludes its use as the sole primary diagnostic kit for diagnosing COVID-19.

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