Spatial and Temporal Virus Load Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2: A Single-Center Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic necessitates accurate diagnostic methods.
• Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 detection across various specimen types.
• Understanding viral load and detection frequency in different specimens is crucial for diagnosis and assessing infectivity duration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare SARS-CoV-2 detection frequency, viral load, and excretion duration in different specimen types.
• To evaluate the utility of upper respiratory tract (URT), lower respiratory tract (LRT), stool, and plasma specimens.
• To identify optimal specimen types for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective single-center cohort study.
• Inclusion of hospitalized and outpatient SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.
• Analysis of RT-PCR results from URT, LRT, stool, and plasma specimens.

Main Results:

• Higher frequency of SARS-CoV-2 detection and increased viral load observed in LRT specimens compared to URT specimens.
• Longer duration of virus excretion noted in LRT specimens.
• Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) demonstrated a prolonged duration of virus excretion.

Conclusions:

• Lower respiratory tract specimens are superior for SARS-CoV-2 detection and follow-up.
• LRT specimen analysis provides a more comprehensive understanding of viral shedding.
• Severe SARS-CoV-2 infections are associated with extended virus excretion periods.