Hyderabad: With more cases of patients who show clinical symptoms of Covid-19 but RT-PCR tests that return negative, the hospital has set a new protocol to stop the undetectable variant.
“Although the RT-PCR test is a gold standard, since the beginning of the pandemic, it has a false negative level of 20% and relies on clinical symptoms along with the test has been followed now.
Although currently Delta and Delta plus variants are being taken by the existing testing method, if any The new variant appears, there is a probability that it might not be detected, “said Dr.
M King Rao, Supervisor, Gandhi Hospital.
In a study conducted at AIG Hospital, comparing RT-PCR iPositives from Nasopharynards (NP) and OrofaryNGEAL (OP) nasal swab and saliva, doctors found that in hospitalized RT-PCR patients by NP / OP wipes showed 80% of the participation.
In a negatively tested patient by NP / OP Swab, if saliva was tested, percent mortgage increased to 95%.
“The emergence of virus variants that can no longer be detected by certain diagnostic tests is a real possibility because the fact that the virus continues to mutate.
RT-PCR results are negative not ruling SARS-COV-2 infection.
Consider negative RT-PCR results in combination with clinical observation, The patient’s history, lab and radiological investigation and epidemiological information, “said Dr.
Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals, after releasing the Covid-19 protocol guidelines.
Other experts say that from the four major variants of concern, beta and gamma can sometimes be missed.
“However, the case can also be missed because of the test time, individual vaccination status as an individual who is vaccinated to clean the burden of the virus is much faster than the others, there is a high possibility of losing infection,” said Dr.
Kiran Madhala.
, Health experts.