Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34111179›Full record

ArticlePloS one2021

Low level SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in plasma samples from a cohort of Nigerians: Implications for blood transfusion.

Azuka Patrick Okwuraiwe, Chika Kingsley Onwuamah, Joseph Ojonugwa Shaibu, Samuel Olufemi Amoo, Fehintola Anthonia Ige, Ayorinde Babatunde James, Leona Chika Okoli, Abul-Rahman Ahmed, Jamda Ponmak, Judith O Sokei and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.1field-weighted citation impact, top 59% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Azuka Patrick OkwuraiweCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0003-2878-0531
Chika Kingsley OnwuamahCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0002-5111-1822
Joseph Ojonugwa ShaibuCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Samuel Olufemi AmooCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Fehintola Anthonia IgeCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Ayorinde Babatunde JamesBiochemistry Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Leona Chika OkoliCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Abul-Rahman AhmedCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Jamda PonmakCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Judith O SokeiCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Sulaimon AkanmuDepartment of Haematology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Babatunde Lawal SalakoClinical Sciences Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
Rosemary Ajuma AuduCentre for Human Virology and Genomics, Microbiology Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.ORCID 0000-0002-0330-5219
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research · NGUniversity of Lagos · NGNational Veterinary Research Institute · NG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The present global pandemic triggered by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has lingered for over a year in its devastating effects. Diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently established with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test by means of oropharyngeal-, nasopharyngeal-, anal-swabs, sputum and blood plasma. However, oral and nasal swabs are more commonly used. This study, therefore, assessed sensitivity and specificity of plasma as a diagnostic in comparison with a combination of oral and nasal swab samples, and the implications for blood transfusion. Oropharyngeal (OP) and nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples were obtained from 125 individuals suspected to have COVID-19 and stored in viral transport medium (VTM) tubes. Ten millilitres of blood samples in EDTA were also obtained by venepuncture and spun to obtain plasma. Viral RNA was obtained from both swabs and plasma by manual extraction with Qiagen QIAamp viral RNA Mini Kit. Detection was done using a real time fluorescent RT-qPCR BGI kit, on a QuantStudio 3 real-time PCR instrument. Average age of study participants was 41 years, with 74 (59.2%) being male. Out of the 125 individuals tested for COVID-19, 75 (60%) were positive by OP/NP swab. However, only 6 (4.8%) had a positive plasma result for COVID-19 with median Ct value of 32.4. Sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test using plasma was 8% and 100% respectively. There was no false positive recorded, but 69 (55.2%) false negatives were obtained by plasma. SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected, albeit low (4.8%) in plasma. Plasma is likely not a suitable biological sample to diagnose acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The implication of transfusing blood in this era of COVID-19 needs further investigations.

Indexed as

COVID-19 Nucleic Acid TestingAdolescentAdultAgedCOVID-19Cross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNigeriaRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2Sensitivity and SpecificityYoung AdultRNA, Viral

Identifiers

PMID34111179
PMCPMC8191972
OpenAlexW3171481839

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.