Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Center Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
J Med Virol. 2023 Oct;95(10):e29127. doi: 10.1002/jmv.29127.
During the Belgian winter and spring season 2022-2023, we investigated the potential of used paper tissue (UPT) as a noninvasive sampling method for the diagnosis of acute respiratory infections. Screening for respiratory pathogens was done using an in-house developed respiratory panel for simultaneous detection of 22 respiratory viruses and seven nonviral pathogens. The method allowed the identification and typing of respiratory pathogens in symptomatic individuals, as well as in collective samples taken at a community level. Pathogens that were identified in nasal swabs could also be detected in concurrent UPT from the same patient. In all cases that tested positive on an antigen-detection rapid diagnostic test, the corresponding virus could be detected in UPT. The collection of UPT could be useful in epidemiological surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other coronaviruses, as well as other respiratory pathogens such as influenzavirus, respiratory syncytial virus, entero/rhinoviruses including EV-D68, parainfluenzaviruses, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Multiple respiratory pathogens could be detected in UPTs of collectivities, confirming its applicability for community testing. This is especially interesting for screening in nursing homes, centers for the disabled, schools or other settings were taking nasal or nasopharyngeal samples is cumbersome.
在 2022-2023 年比利时的冬季和春季，我们研究了使用过的纸巾（UPT）作为一种非侵入性采样方法用于诊断急性呼吸道感染的潜力。使用内部开发的呼吸道面板同时检测 22 种呼吸道病毒和 7 种非病毒病原体来进行呼吸道病原体的筛查。该方法允许在有症状的个体以及在社区层面采集的集体样本中识别和分型呼吸道病原体。在鼻腔拭子中鉴定出的病原体也可以在同一患者的同时采集的 UPT 中检测到。在所有抗原检测快速诊断测试呈阳性的情况下，相应的病毒都可以在 UPT 中检测到。收集 UPT 可能有助于对严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 和其他冠状病毒以及其他呼吸道病原体（如流感病毒、呼吸道合胞病毒、肠/鼻病毒包括 EV-D68、副流感病毒和肺炎链球菌）进行流行病学监测。在集体的 UPT 中可以检测到多种呼吸道病原体，证实了其在社区检测中的适用性。这对于在养老院、残疾人中心、学校或其他难以采集鼻腔或鼻咽样本的场所进行筛查尤其有趣。
