Saliva is a reliable tool to detect SARS-CoV-2

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Virology
• Diagnostic Medicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates reliable diagnostic tools.
• Understanding SARS-CoV-2 viral load and its clinical correlation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze salivary samples from COVID-19 patients.
• To compare salivary results with clinical and laboratory data.
• To assess saliva's utility in diagnosing and monitoring COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) analysis of salivary samples from 25 COVID-19 patients.
• Collection of clinical data including age, sex, comorbidities, and medications.
• Registration of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (usCRP) levels concurrently with salivary swab collection.

Main Results:

• All 25 tested salivary samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
• An inverse association was observed between LDH levels and cycle threshold (Ct) values, suggesting a correlation with viral load.
• Two patients demonstrated positive salivary results on days when respiratory swabs indicated viral clearance.

Conclusions:

• Saliva is a dependable medium for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
• Saliva's role in COVID-19 diagnostics extends to qualitative detection and potentially monitoring clinical disease evolution.