Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Research
The Impact of Vaccination on RT-PCR Cycle Threshold Values for COVID-19: Insights for Future Pandemic Preparedness
Author(s): Abebe M. Aga*, Demise Mulugeta, Atsbeha Gebreegziabxier, Jemal Mohammed, Anberber Alemu, Yewenshet Tesera, Frehiwot Mulugeta, Bedasa Gidisa, Jaleta Bulti, Gemechu Tadesse and Dereje Nigussei
Amid the COVID-19 surge, effective management hinges on precise diagnostic techniques, particularly through the
comparison of results among vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. This research seeks to assess clinical
evaluations, Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT), and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
findings, with a specific focus on the correlation between vaccination status and RT-PCR Cycle threshold (Ct) values.
A total of 453 suspected COVID-19 cases were included in the study. Detailed information on clinical symptoms,
RDT, and RT-PCR results was meticulously collected. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for both RDT and RTPCR
examinations following established procedures. While RDTs were carried out on-site, RT-PCR tests were
performed at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) genomics laboratory. Data analysis involved descript.. View more»