The suitable setting for each salivary diagnostic procedure.
(a) In a hospital or centralized laboratory
facility, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain
reaction (rRT-PCR) represents the reference standard. However,
this procedure requires an adequate supply of reagents and the
presence of specialized personnel. Only selected cases should
undergo this procedure, avoiding thus the crowding of
laboratories and other health facilities. Direct rRT-PCR without
RNA extraction can be used as a preliminary analysis to screen
the suspected COVID-19 patients with suggestive symptoms when
entering the emergency room. (b) Point-of-care
technology represents a valid and useful tool to help physicians
who treat patients in a setting outside the hospital, such as a
general practitioner’s surgery. (c) Point-of-need
devices are suitable for mass screening programs and for the
analysis of salivary samples directly on the field where the
test is needed, like a school, a cinema or theater, a
restaurant, or an airport.