SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA load dynamics in the nasopharynx of infected children

SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA load dynamics in the nasopharynx of infected children

It is important to understand the temporal trend of the paediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load to estimate the transmission potential of children in schools and communities. We determined the differences in SARS-CoV-2 viral load dynamics between nasopharyn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology and infection Vol. 149; p. e18
Main Authors: Kam, K. Q., Thoon, K. C., Maiwald, M., Chong, C. Y., Soong, H. Y., Loo, L. H., Tan, N. W. H., Li, J., Nadua, K. D., Yung, C. F.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 2021
Subjects:
Adolescent
Asymptomatic
Child
Child, Preschool
Children
Children & youth
Contact tracing
Containment
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Disease transmission
Epidemiology
Female
Humans
Illnesses
Infant
Infectivity
Male
Nasopharynx
Nasopharynx - virology
Pediatrics
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Public health
Ribonucleic acid
Risk analysis
Risk factors
RNA
RNA, Viral - analysis
SARS-CoV-2 - genetics
SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification
Schools
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Short Paper
Standard deviation
Trends
Viral diseases
Viral Load
Viruses
United States > US
Singapore
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
viral load
Children
cycle threshold
paediatric
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Summary:It is important to understand the temporal trend of the paediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load to estimate the transmission potential of children in schools and communities. We determined the differences in SARS-CoV-2 viral load dynamics between nasopharyngeal samples of infected asymptomatic and symptomatic children. Serial cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 from the nasopharynx of a cohort of infected children were collected for analysis. Among 17 infected children, 10 (58.8%) were symptomatic. Symptomatic children, when compared to asymptomatic children, had higher viral loads (mean cycle threshold on day 7 of illness 28.6 vs. 36.7, P = 0.02). Peak SARS-CoV-2 viral loads occurred around day 2 of illness in infected children. Although we were unable to directly demonstrate infectivity, the detection of significant amount of virus in the upper airway of asymptomatic children suggest that they have the potential to shed and transmit SARS-CoV-2. Our study highlights the importance of contact tracing and screening for SARS-CoV-2 in children with epidemiological risk factors regardless of their symptom status, in order to improve containment of the virus in the community, including educational settings.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
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ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409
DOI:10.1017/S095026882100008X