Upper respiratory tract SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in symptomatic and asymptomatic children and adults
Abstract
Objectives
There is limited information comparing SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in the upper respiratory tract (URT) between children and adults, either presenting with COVID-19 or asymptomatic. Here we conducted a retrospective, single center study involving a large cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals to address this issue.
Patients and Methods
A total of 1,184 consecutive subjects (256 children and 928 adults) testing positive for SARS-COV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal exudates (NP) were included, of whom 424 (121 children and 303 adults) had COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization and 760 (135 children and 625 adults) were asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing was carried out using the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, MS, USA). The AMPLIRUN® TOTAL SARS-CoV-2 RNA Control (Vircell SA, Granada, Spain) was used for estimating SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads (in copies/mL).
Results
Median SARS-COV-2 RNA loads were comparable between adults and children with COVID-19 (7.14 log 10 copies/ml vs. 6.98 log 10 copies/ml; P =0.094). Median SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in asymptomatic children and adults was similar (6.20 log 10 copies/ml vs. 6.48 log 10 copies/ml; P =0.97). Children with COVID-19 symptoms displayed SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads comparable to their asymptomatic counterparts ( P =0.61). Meanwhile in adults, median SARS-CoV-2 RNA load was significantly higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic subjects ( P =<0.001), yet comparable ( P =0.61) when the analysis excluded patients sampled within 48 h after symptoms onset.
Conclusions
The data suggest that children may be drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the general population at the same level as adults.
Related articles
Related articles are currently not available for this article.