Upper Respiratory Tract Levels of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RNA and Duration of Viral RNA Shedding Do Not Differ Between Patients With Mild and Severe/Critical Coronavirus Disease 2019
Journal article, 2021

This study reports longitudinal viral RNA loads from the nasopharynx/throat in patients with mild and severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We also investigated whether the duration of symptoms correlated with the duration of viral RNA shedding. A total of 56 patients were included. The highest viral loads occurred early after onset of symptoms. Neither the viral RNA loads in the upper respiratory tract nor the time to viral RNA clearance differed between patients with mild or severe/critical disease. There was a moderate correlation between number of days with symptoms and number of days with viral RNA shedding in patients with mild COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2

nasopharynx

viral shedding

COVID-19

Author

Aylin Yilmaz

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

University of Gothenburg

Emelie Marklund

University of Gothenburg

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Maria Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Staffan Nilsson

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

Lars-Magnus Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Magnus Lindh

University of Gothenburg

Magnus Gisslen

University of Gothenburg

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Journal of Infectious Diseases

0022-1899 (ISSN) 1537-6613 (eISSN)

Vol. 223 1 15-18

Subject Categories

Surgery

Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Respiratory Medicine and Allergy

Rheumatology and Autoimmunity

DOI

10.1093/infdis/jiaa632

PubMed

33020822

More information

Latest update

7/3/2024 1