RESOURCES:

Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Frequently Asked Questions about Coronavirus (COVID-19) for Laboratories

Sample Pooling

When disease prevalence in an area is sufficiently low, certain Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) diagnostic testing systems are approved for sample pooling in order to save time and Class VIII materials. However, the combination of multiple specimens into one test dilutes the samples resulting in lower sensitivity. Theater lab officers should establish area-specific guidelines for pooling thresholds based on disease prevalence and specific equipment limitations. For example, the BioFire EUA (see the following resources list) includes three pages on approved pooling techniques. Lastly, pooling should only be executed at CLIP-certified laboratories.

The two most common NAAT systems in CENTCOM include the BioFire Diagnostic system and the GeneXpert family of diagnostic systems. At the time of this writing, the BioFire is approved for pooling samples; the GeneXpert systems are not approved for pooling. Pooled testing can be used for screening or diagnostic testing.

RESOURCES:

BioFire® COVID-19 Test Instructions for Use

Interim Guidance for Use of Pooling Procedures in SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic, Screening, and Surveillance Testing

DoD Testing Algorithms

Refer to current DoD Corona Virus Task Force COVID-19 Testing Protocols