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Infection of Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells Grown at an Air-Liquid Interface to Characterize Human Coronavirus-Host Interactions
Published on: September 22, 2023
Viral dynamics in the Upper Respiratory Tract (URT) of SARS-CoV-2
Raghavendra Tirupathi1, Tasha Renu Ramparas2, Gautam Wadhwa3
1Department of Medicine, Penn State University School of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Keystone Infectious Diseases/HIV, Keystone Health, Chambersburg, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, Keystone Health, Chambersburg, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, Wellspan Chambersburg and Waynesboro (Pa.) Hospitals, Chambersburg, PA, USA.
Abstract:
To date, research on viral shedding (VS), live virus isolation and infection status remains ongoing as scientists and clinicians attempt to better understand the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Viral RNA detection at different stages of the disease, quantitative changes and patterns of viral persistence and clearance all provide context for the pathogenesis and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given the highly infectious nature of SARS-CoV-2 and its impact on the global population and economy, clinicians continue to seek the best methods for controlling its spread, and data on public health preventative measures continue to emerge. In this paper we review the available evidence on the viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in the URT to determine a timeline for infection based on molecular and viral culture findings and to assess the significance of persistently positive results. Keywords: viral shedding, viral load, viral culture, SARS-CoV-2, upper respiratory tract.
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