Antigen testing for COVID-19 asymptomatic screening: why it should be preferred over PCR insights from navy region Japan's experience with a comprehensive antigen testing strategy / Ross A Mullinax
Material type: TextPublication details: 2022Subject(s): Online resources: In: Military Medicine: International Journal of AMSUS Vol 187 Issue 3/4, March/April 2022, pp.68-72 (72)Summary: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is commonly used in asymptomatic screening testing, but is suboptimal for this purpose as it will identify many old persistent positives that are no longer infectious. This can result in placement of individuals that are not infectious to others into isolation. This results in substantial adverse impact to military manning and operations, without any benefit to public health. Antigen testing does not have this same drawback. Antigen testing, while less sensitive than PCR, will identify the vast majority of infectious positives, especially those with higher viral loads that are more likely to transmit to others. Importantly, use of antigen testing will also greatly increase the certainty of benefit from isolation, reducing the risk of isolating those individuals who are beyond their infectious period and pose no threat to public health. The literature on this topic is reviewed, with particular focus on studies that perform viral culture in addition to PCR and antigen testing. This allows for determination of sensitivity for infectious virus. Also, Navy Region Japan's experience with a comprehensive antigen testing strategy is described. The challenges presented by persistent positive PCR test results are examined, as well as the real-world benefits from implementing widespread use of antigen testing.Item type | Current library | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
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Journal Article | Mindef Library & Info Centre Journals | COVID-19 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Not for loan | 67417.1001 |
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is commonly used in asymptomatic screening testing, but is suboptimal for this purpose as it will identify many old persistent positives that are no longer infectious. This can result in placement of individuals that are not infectious to others into isolation. This results in substantial adverse impact to military manning and operations, without any benefit to public health. Antigen testing does not have this same drawback. Antigen testing, while less sensitive than PCR, will identify the vast majority of infectious positives, especially those with higher viral loads that are more likely to transmit to others. Importantly, use of antigen testing will also greatly increase the certainty of benefit from isolation, reducing the risk of isolating those individuals who are beyond their infectious period and pose no threat to public health. The literature on this topic is reviewed, with particular focus on studies that perform viral culture in addition to PCR and antigen testing. This allows for determination of sensitivity for infectious virus. Also, Navy Region Japan's experience with a comprehensive antigen testing strategy is described. The challenges presented by persistent positive PCR test results are examined, as well as the real-world benefits from implementing widespread use of antigen testing.
COVID-19, MILITARY, HEALTH
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