Cancer Diagnosis Program | Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch

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Viable SARS-CoV-2 in various specimens from COVID-19 patients.

Author(s): Jeong HW, Kim SM, Kim HS, Kim YI, Kim JH, Cho JY, Kim SH, Kang H, Kim SG, Park SJ, Kim EH, Choi YK

Publication: Clin Microbiol Infect, 2020, Vol. 26, Page 1520-1524

PubMed ID: 32711057 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   This study compared viral loads of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID, COVID-19, COVID19), in matched naso/oropharyngeal swab, saliva, urine, and fecal specimens collected from four symptom-free recovering COVID-19 patients and one COVID-19 patient in critical condition. Specimens were collected from five hospitalized patients (method of diagnosis not provided; median age=63 y; 3 males, 2 females). Four patients were symptom-free at the time of specimen collection (one had a mild clinical course without pneumonia and three were categorized as severe cases, day 8-30 of illness) and one patient was in critical condition with respiratory failure and septic shock (day 15 of illness; specimen collection, processing, preservation, and storage details not provided). Viral RNA was extracted using the QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit and cDNAs were generated by reverse transcription using QuantiTect Reverse Transcription. The SARS-CoV-2, S region was detected by real-time qRT-PCR and the number of viral RNA copies was calculated as log¹⁰ copies/mL.

    

   Summary of Findings:

   SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by real-time qRT-PCR in all specimens collected. Of the four symptom-free patients, viral RNA loads were comparable to or higher in the urine and feces specimens (range from 1.08 ± 0.16 to 2.09 ± 0.85 log¹⁰ copies/mL) and lower in saliva specimens (range from 0.96 ± 0.31 to 1.65 ± 0.46 log¹⁰ copies/mL) than that of the matched naso/oropharyngeal swab (range from 1.18 ± 0.12 to 1.43 ± 0.42 log¹⁰ copies/mL). The viral load in specimens collected from the patient in critical condition was lower in urine (0.59 ± 0.35 log¹⁰ copies/mL), comparable in saliva (1.44 ± 0.40 versus 1.15 log¹⁰ copies/mL) and significantly higher in the fecal specimen (2.18 ± 0.11 log¹⁰ copies/mL) relative to the naso/oropharyngeal swab specimen (1.15 ± 0.03 log¹⁰ copies/mL).

   Biospecimens

   • Cell - Nasopharynx
   • Cell - Oral Cavity
   • Bodily Fluid - Urine
   • Bodily Fluid - Saliva
   • Bodily Fluid - Feces

   Preservative Types

   • None (Fresh)

   Diagnoses:

   • Pneumonia/Respiratory Infection

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   RNA	Real-time qRT-PCR

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Biospecimen location	naso/oropharyngeal swab saliva urine feces
   Preaquisition	Diagnosis/ patient condition	Free of clinical symptoms Critical condition
   Real-time qRT-PCR Specific	Targeted nucleic acid	SARS-CoV-2, S region

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