Spatial and Temporal Virus Load Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2: A Single-Center Cohort Study.
Enagnon Kazali AlidjinouJulien PoissyMahdi OuafiMorgan CaplanIlyes BenhalimaJulien GoutayClaire TinezKarine FaureMarie-Charlotte ChopinCécile YelnikMarc LambertDidier HoberSebastien PreauSaad NseirIlka Engelmannnull On Behalf Of The Lille Covid Research Network LicornePublished in: Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) (2021)
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an ongoing pandemic. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and has been applied to different specimen types. Understanding the virus load and virus detection frequency in different specimen types is important to improve diagnosis and estimate the duration of potential infectivity. We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study on hospitalized and outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We analyzed the frequency of virus detection, virus load, and duration of the virus excretion in upper and lower respiratory specimens as well as stool and plasma. We found that the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 detection, the virus load, and duration of virus excretion was higher in lower respiratory tract (LRT) than in upper respiratory tract (URT) specimens. The duration of virus excretion was longer in patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In conclusion, LRT specimens are the most appropriate specimen type for the detection and follow-up of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Duration of virus excretion is longer in severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- respiratory tract
- intensive care unit
- coronavirus disease
- loop mediated isothermal amplification
- end stage renal disease
- emergency department
- real time pcr
- chronic kidney disease
- label free
- peritoneal dialysis
- risk assessment
- transcription factor
- climate change
- sensitive detection
- mechanical ventilation