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Erschienen in: Infection 1/2021

24.11.2020 | COVID-19 | Original Paper Zur Zeit gratis

Higher viral loads in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients might be the invisible part of the iceberg

verfasst von: Imran Hasanoglu, Gulay Korukluoglu, Dilek Asilturk, Yasemin Cosgun, Ayse Kaya Kalem, Ayşe Basak Altas, Bircan Kayaaslan, Fatma Eser, Esra Akkan Kuzucu, Rahmet Guner

Erschienen in: Infection | Ausgabe 1/2021

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Abstract

Purpose

SARS-CoV-2 virus dynamics in different hosts and different samples and their relationship with disease severity have not been clearly revealed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the viral loads of 6 different sample types (nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal combined, oral cavity, saliva, rectal, urine, and blood) of patients with different ages and clinics, to reveal the relationship between disease course and SARS-CoV-2 viral load, and differences in viral loads of asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.

Methods

Nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal, oral cavity, saliva, rectal, urine, and blood samples are collected from patients who were hospitalized with diagnosis of COVID-19 on admission. Laboratory analysis were carried out at Public Health Institute of Turkey Virology Reference and Research Laboratory.

Results

A total of 360 samples from 60 patients were obtained on admission. Fifteen (25%) of the patients were asymptomatic while 45 (75%) were symptomatic. A significant difference was found between mean ages of asymptomatic vs symptomatic patients (26.4 and 36.4, respectively, p = 0.0248). No PCR positivity were found in blood. Only one asymptomatic patient had positive PCR result for urine sample. Viral loads of asymptomatic patients were found to be significantly higher (p = 0.0141) when compared with symptomatic patients. Viral load had a significant negative trend with increasing age. A significant decrease in viral load was observed with increasing disease severity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study demonstrates that asymptomatic patients have higher SARSCoV-2 viral loads than symptomatic patients and unlike in the few study in the literature, a significant decrease in viral load of nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal samples was observed with increasing disease severity. Factors associated with poor prognosis are found to be significantly correlated with low viral load.
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Metadaten
Titel
Higher viral loads in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients might be the invisible part of the iceberg
verfasst von
Imran Hasanoglu
Gulay Korukluoglu
Dilek Asilturk
Yasemin Cosgun
Ayse Kaya Kalem
Ayşe Basak Altas
Bircan Kayaaslan
Fatma Eser
Esra Akkan Kuzucu
Rahmet Guner
Publikationsdatum
24.11.2020
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Schlagwort
COVID-19
Erschienen in
Infection / Ausgabe 1/2021
Print ISSN: 0300-8126
Elektronische ISSN: 1439-0973
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-020-01548-8

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