What is the difference between a nasal (Nose) swab and a throat swab for nucleic acid testing
The sampling method and location are different. The accuracy rates of the nucleic acid test ( PCR Test ) nasal swabs and throat swabs are usually similar, and the main difference lies in the sampling method and sampling site. For nasal swabs, nasopharyngeal swabs (flocking swabs) are mainly used to test the secretions from the inside of the nasal cavity and the surface of the nasal mucosa through the nasal cavity;
Throat swabs: Health care workers collect samples in the mouth with oropharyngeal swabs. Health care workers take throat samples for testing to determine whether a patient has the new coronavirus.
Are both throat swabs and nasal(Nose) swabs required?
Let’s talk about throat swabs first.
The “oral sampling” and “nasal sampling” mentioned above are actually test methods in which medical staff use medical swabs to collect samples from the pharynx in nucleic acid testing (PCR).
It is very important to continue swab testing while the pandemic is still ongoing
Whether entering from the nasal cavity or the mouth, the specimens we need to collect are pharyngeal secretions, including sputum. Compared with the oral route, nasal sampling can provide better safety protection for the sampling person. Because oral sampling requires subjects to open their mouths wide, this increases the risk of virus transmission by droplets. However, if it is collected through the nasal cavity, the environment is relatively stable, and the medical staff who operate it will be safer.
What is the difference between a throat swab and a nasopharyngeal swab, which is more accurate?
The main difference between nasal swabs and throat swabs lies in the location and material of the specimens, which are usually as accurate. The throat swab is in the pharynx, and the nasal swab needs to go into the nasal cavity, not the external nasal cavity. It needs to use a longer swab and slowly rotate it to the deep part of the nasal cavity, so the parts of the material are different. Nasal swabs are special, and the material is relatively soft, which is convenient for reaching the deep nasal cavity through the nasal cavity. The process of taking it may take longer than that of throat swabs.
Compared with nasopharyngeal swabs, oropharyngeal swab sampling is sometimes difficult to meet the normative sampling requirements due to irritating reactions, and the actions of eating, drinking and swallowing will reduce the oropharyngeal to a certain extent. The virus enrichment of 2000 may affect the positive detection rate of oropharyngeal swabs.
Which is better, nasal(Nose) swab or throat swab?
No matter which one is adopted, the key lies in the depth of the collection, whether the collection is in place and the length of contact time with the deep mucosa.
From the personal experience of the testing population, throat swabs will be less irritating and uncomfortable than nasal swabs.
Sterile Flocked Swab
• The operation is relatively simple and less irritating, suitable for large-scale screening.
• The sampling staff will guide the subject to open the mouth, and then use a sterile long cotton swab to gently scrape the subject’s throat to collect secretions from both palatine arches, pharynx, and tonsils.
• The technical requirements are high, the human body does not feel very comfortable, and the accuracy is higher than that of oropharyngeal swabs. For key groups such as isolation points.
• The sampling staff will insert a long sterile cotton swab into the nostril of the subject, and reach the mucous membrane deep in the nasopharyngeal cavity, stay for a few seconds to soak the secretion, and then take it out.
Who is not suitable for nasal swab
What is A Covid-19 NP Swab?
When collecting nasal swab specimens, the flocked swab ( learn more ) will enter the nasal cavity.
f the medical staff operates in a standardized manner, it will reduce the irritation to the mucous membranes.
But because we can’t see the sampling position of the pharynx.
It mainly relies on the hands of medical staff to feel the resistance, so the technical requirements of the operator are very high, and the tools used are also more complicated.
The improper operation will cause certain irritation to the nasal mucosa, so it is not recommended for patients with sinusitis and allergic rhinitis to do nasal swabs to avoid damage to the nasal cavity.
How to overcome the discomfort of throat swab
When collecting throat swab specimens, the oropharyngeal flocked swab will cause certain irritation to the pharynx. For some people with the sensitive pharynx, nausea and vomiting may occur.
Recommended to relax before collecting specimens.
Don’t get too nervous. If you feel discomfort in your throat after collection, you need to eat less spicy, irritating and greasy food, drink more water, eat more vegetables and fruits, and arrange rest appropriately. Generally speaking, it does not take long to return to normal.
Experts said that the study found that the nucleic acid-positive duration of feces or anal swabs of some infected people is longer than that of the upper respiratory tract. Increasing anal swab sampling can improve the detection rate and reduce missed diagnosis; but anal swab sampling is not convenient enough, and currently only for isolation. Points and other key groups to use.