Diagnosis of Respiratory Viruses in Children With Rhinoswab Junior

The microbiological test of choice for detection of respiratory viruses is a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The test is reported as "detected" or "not-detected" to the clinician. The Ct-value is a microbiological analysis that represents the number of amplification cycles required for a target gene to exceed a threshold level, to determine a negative or positive result and is interpreted to detect respiratory viruses. The Ct-value is used to measure viral load.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a respiratory virus of specific interest. SARS-CoV-2 is detected in the upper respiratory tract. National guidelines for diagnosing COVID-19 in Australia require a combined throat and deep nasal swab (CTDN). No other testing options are routinely recommended in Australia. However, research and international guidelines recommend nasal swabs alone for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) currently recommend the use of an anterior nasal swab alone as a method for detection of SARS-CoV-2. A recent systematic review suggested nasal swabs are a clinically acceptable alternative specimen collection methods. In addition to satisfactory diagnostic performance, nasal swabs are potentially less invasive, and can be self-collected.

Research at the Melbourne Children's Campus has identified that the CTDN or nasopharyngeal swab, are uncomfortable and distressing for children. The fear of the test is a barrier for presentation to a health service for a SARS-CoV-2 test. Parental and child reluctance to undergo testing may impact the public health response, through under-identification of pediatric cases.

The Rhinoswab is a TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) approved anterior nasal swab for children and adults. The design of the Rhinoswab allows for standardisation of the site of biological sampling, as compared with CTDN swabs which are operator dependent. It is designed to be more comfortable and to collect nasal secretions for PCR testing. The Rhinoswab Junior is a smaller paediatric version that has novelty features which add interest and distraction. The child can use the swab themselves, allowing autonomy and control. The capture and elution efficiency of the Rhinoswab has been shown to be comparable, if not slightly superior, to the capture and elution efficiency to the commercially available Copan eSwab by VIDRL (Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory) and GNOMIX analyses.

The RCH has completed over 30,000 tests in children throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic from March 2020 to June 2021 at the Respiratory Infection Clinic and Emergency Department. The RCH nurses and doctors are well placed to trial the Rhinoswab due to extensive experience in testing children, and have developed related clinical practice guidelines.