Higher accuracy of sputum detection of new coronavirus can be used as an important method for diagnosis and monitoring.

Early and accurate detection is critical to preventing the spread of the new coronavirus and providing appropriate care to patients.
present, nasopharyngeal swabs (which need to be inserted into the nasal cavity to take samples from the back of the nose and pharynx) are the gold standard for taking samples for diagnosis.
the process is technically difficult, often making patients uncomfortable and requiring personal protective equipment that may be in short supply.
scientists are also conducting small trials to test other methods of collecting samples, including swabs and sputum, but it is not clear which method is best suited to detect the new coronavirus.
In the latest study, Dr. Jonathan Lee and a team of colleagues from Brigham and Women's Hospital's Infectious Diseases Department looked at the positive detection rates of the three collection methods: the results showed a 54 percent detection rate for nasopharyngeal swabs, 43 percent detection rate for pharynx swabs, and a 71 percent detection rate for sputum.
detection rate of phlegm was significantly higher than that of pharynx swabs or nasopharyngeal swabs.
, the study also found that all three collection methods had the highest detection rates within a week of the on-the-spot on-the-spot symptoms.
said: "The gold standard inside and outside the hospital is nasopharyngeal swabs, but there is still a lot of confusion about which sampling method is the best and most sensitive."
our research shows that sputum testing can greatly improve the detection rate of neo-crown pneumonia and supports this test as an important method for diagnosing and monitoring patients with neo-coronary pneumonia.
" the researchers explain that nasopharyngeal swabs collect samples through the nasal cavity; pharynx swabs collect samples by inserting a tube into the mouth; and sputum samples usually collect samples by allowing patients to cough deeply to produce and drain sputum.
, of course, not all patients can produce sputum samples.
for such patients, nasopharyngeal swabs may be the best method of collection.
, of course, this meta-analysis includes only studies of hospitalized patients, and other studies are needed in patients with asymptomatic or mild symptoms.
, the current study did not evaluate other test methods, such as saliva or nasal swabs (collected from the front of the nose).
'Holy Grail' in the field of new coronary pneumonia testing will be to find a patient-easy to accept, easy-to-collect and highly sensitive test," said Li.
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