{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T16:32:54Z","timestamp":1772209974021,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":9,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]],"date-time":"2021-04-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1618358400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000865","name":"Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["INV-016831"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["INV-016831"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000865","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n In order to identify an inexpensive yet highly stable SARS-CoV-2 collection device as an alternative to foam swabs stored in transport media, both contrived (\u201csurrogate\u201d) CoV-positive and patient-collected spun polyester swabs stored in dry tubes were evaluated for time- and temperature-stability using qPCR.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n Surrogate specimens were prepared by combining multiple, residual SARS-CoV-2-positive clinical specimens and diluting to near-LOD levels in either porcine or human mucus (\u201cmatrix\u201d), inoculating foam or polyester nasal swabs, and sealing in dry tubes. Swabs were then subjected to one of three temperature excursions: (1) 4\u00b0C for up to 72 hours; (2) 40\u00b0C for 12 hours, followed by 32\u00b0C for up to 60 hours; or (3) multiple freeze-thaw cycles (-20\u00b0C). The stability of extracted SARS-CoV-2 RNA for each condition was evaluated by qPCR. Separate usability studies for the dry polyester swab-based HealthPulse@home COVID-19 Specimen Collection Kit were later conducted in both adult and pediatric populations.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Polyester swabs stored dry demonstrated equivalent performance to foam swabs for detection of low and moderate SARS-CoV-2 viral loads. Mimicking warm- and cold- climate shipment, surrogate specimens were stable following either 72 hours of a high-temperature excursion or two freeze-thaw cycles. In addition, usability studies comprised of self-collected patient specimens yielded sufficient material for molecular testing, as demonstrated by RNase P detection.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Polyester nasal swabs stored in dry collection tubes offer a robust and inexpensive self-collection method for SARS-CoV-2 viral load testing, as viral RNA remains stable under conditions required for home collection and shipment to the laboratory.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0245423","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]],"date-time":"2021-04-14T18:04:48Z","timestamp":1618423488000},"page":"e0245423","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Polyester nasal swabs collected in a dry tube are a robust and inexpensive, minimal self-collection kit for SARS-CoV-2 testing"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Leah R.","family":"Padgett","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lauren A.","family":"Kennington","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Charlotte L.","family":"Ahls","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Delini K.","family":"Samarasinghe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yuan-Po","family":"Tu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michelle L.","family":"Wallander","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shawna D.","family":"Cooper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"James 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Bullard","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"issue":"7809","key":"pone.0245423.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-020-2196-x","article-title":"Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019","volume":"581","author":"R Wolfel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"pone.0245423.ref008","article-title":"Shedding of infectious virus in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): duration and key determinants","author":"JJA van Kampen","year":"2020","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0245423.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.3121\/cmr.2012.1084","article-title":"Comparison of nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs for influenza detection in adults","volume":"10","author":"SA Irving","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clin Med Res"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0245423","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]],"date-time":"2021-04-14T18:05:00Z","timestamp":1618423500000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0245423"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Etsuro","family":"Ito","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]]},"references-count":9,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0245423","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1101\/2020.10.09.20210302","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,14]]}}}