As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world, diagnostic testing is becoming increasingly important in order to identify those who are positive and help contain the virus. However, traditional laboratory-based molecular testing can be time-consuming and expensive, and may not be readily available in all settings. In response to this, numerous diagnostic test producers have created quick and simple-to-use Rapid Antigen tests that can be used outside of laboratory settings. PCR tests are based either on the detection of COVID-19 virus viral proteins in respiratory samples (such as sputum or throat or saliva swabs) or on the identification of human antibodies produced in response to infection in blood or serum to rapid test if it’s positive. While Rapid Antigen tests are generally less accurate test devices it also helps health care workers like doctors and nurses to reduce their workload and the risk of getting the virus and also focus on their patients.

Rapid Antigen tests are quick and simple-to-use tests that can be used in a person’s own home or outside of laboratory settings. These tests are based on the detection of SARS COV 2 viral proteins in respiratory samples (such as sputum or throat swabs). There are two main types of Rapid Antigen tests – nasal tests and saliva tests. So, what’s the difference between the methods?

Nasal Swab

A nasopharyngeal swab resembles a long Q-tip. It is pushed into your nose about two inches deep and spun around briefly. After that, the swab is taken out and sent to a lab for analysis. For the majority of people, nasal swabbing is an excellent alternative because they are quick and precise. While the swab is in your nose, you might feel a tickling sensation, and once it is taken out, you might sneeze or have runny eyes for a short while. Compared to performing a swab test at home, medical professionals are more likely to utilize nasal swabs that reach deeper into your nasal cavity, which may cause you more discomfort.

Nasal swabbing tests are typically more accurate than saliva tests, but they are also more invasive. The sample is inserted into the nostril and then swirled around in order to collect a sample of mucus from the back of the nose. Nasal rapid antigen tests can be uncomfortable for some people and may cause a slight feeling of dizziness and problems with the body.

Saliva testing or throat swab is self-administered, so after being told how to do the test, you will carry it out on your own. To complete the test, you will spit into a funnel that is connected to a tube multiple times and then screw on a cap. If you are performing the test at home, you will place the saliva samples into a pre-paid UPS envelope and send it out. If you are at a community testing site, you will then hand your sample to a supervisor. To produce enough spit to fill the tube, most people need 10 to 12 minutes. Although saliva tests are more pleasant and equally accurate than nose swabs, they might not be a viable choice for people with poor saliva collection.

Saliva testing is less accurate than nasal swab tests, but they are also less invasive. The person being tested simply has to spit a saliva sample into a tube or onto a swab, which is then used to collect the sample. This makes saliva samples much more comfortable for most people who have more sample collections.

So, Which Type of Rapid Antigen Test Should You Choose?

Saliva Test

If accuracy is your main concern, then a nasal swab test is probably the better option. However, if you prefer a less invasive test or if you have any concerns about the safety of swabbing your nose, then a saliva test may be the better choice for you

The difference between nasal saliva rapid antigen tests is not that complicated, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world, a diagnostic test is becoming increasingly important in order to identify those who are infected and help contain the virus. However, traditional laboratory-based molecular testing can be time-consuming and expensive, and may not be readily available in all settings. In response to this, numerous diagnostic

Nasal swab tests are less invasive than traditional throat swabs and can be self-administered with a cotton swab. However, they are also less accurate than saliva tests, with sensitivities ranging from 50-80%.

Saliva testing is non-invasive and can be self-administered. They have sensitivities of 80-90%, which means that they are more accurate than nasal swab tests. However, they are less widely available than nasal

WHO now only suggests employing these cutting-edge point-of-care immunodiagnostic laboratory testing in research settings based on the data that is currently available. They shouldn’t be used in any other situation, including clinical decision-making, until there is proof that their use is beneficial for a specific indication.

What’s Known So Far

Two unpublished, small sample size preprint studies presented a preliminary case for saliva testing by swabbing the mouth or back of the throat. The test did not detect positive infections in the 30 individuals with current Omicron infections screened daily with a throat swab and saliva rapid antigen test until about a day after a saliva PCR test did.

This preprint implies that nasal quick antigen testing may not detect Omicron at its most infectious stage, despite the fact that it has already been demonstrated that PCR tests detect COVID-19 at a lower threshold than a rapid antigen test.

Based on SARS COV 2, Omicron, and Delta cases, another recent preprint from South African researchers hypothesized that positive saliva tests for Omicron were more trustworthy than positive nasal mid-turbinate swabs. In contrast to Delta, where results from nasal swabs were more reliable than those from saliva swabs or throat swabs. When compared to SARS COV 2, Delta or Omicron shed viruses more frequently in the mouth than the nose.

Patients coughed three to five times, swabbed their gums and hard palates, and inside of their cheeks, above and below the tongue. A composite was used as the benchmark for comparison, and an infection was deemed to be present if either the saliva or mid-turbinate swab tested positive.

Variation Between Tests

But it’s crucial to comprehend what kinds of specimens these tests gather in order to comprehend why testing from various bodily areas may produce disparate outcomes.

The epithelial cells that line the mouth and throat are identical. They differ slightly from the lining of the nose and nasopharynx, though. While nasal swabs mostly collect the virus from respiratory epithelial cells, throat swabs, and saliva tests—taken either by spitting in a cup or swabbing the inside of the mouth—to collect saliva and detect the virus more from squamous epithelial cells. Tissue tropism, the term used to describe which type of cell a virus “prefers,” seems to be narrower for Omicron than its earlier forms.

Conclusion

Overall, these two are quick and simple-to-use tests that can be used outside of laboratory settings. However, it is important to choose the right test for you, based on your symptoms and the accuracy that you require. If you are symptomatic and have a high chance of being infected, then a nasal swab test is probably the better option. However, if you prefer a less invasive test or if you have any concerns about the safety of swabbing your nose, then a saliva test may be the better choice for you.

Rapid Antigen tests are an important tool in the fight against Covid-19 and can help to identify those who are infected quickly and easily. However, it is important to choose the right test for you, based on your symptoms and the accuracy that you require. If you are symptomatic and have a high chance of being infected. Some researchers have opposed these regulations, citing evidence that suggests some individuals may continue to be contagious after day five. And many professionals advise delaying your outing until you receive a negative result from an at-home test.