Abstract
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.
Highlights
The viral load of the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been reported to peak within the first week of disease in throat and sputum samples in the adult population [1, 2]
A recent study in Korea suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in children for a mean of more than 2 weeks and a proportion of the infected children are asymptomatic despite high viral load [10]
There is a need to improve the understanding of the viral load dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in infected children so as to postulate the role of children in the transmission of COVID-19 in schools and the community
Summary
The viral load of the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been reported to peak within the first week of disease in throat and sputum samples in the adult population [1, 2]. A recent study in Korea suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in children for a mean of more than 2 weeks and a proportion of the infected children are asymptomatic despite high viral load [10]. There is a need to improve the understanding of the viral load dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in infected children so as to postulate the role of children in the transmission of COVID-19 in schools and the community.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
