Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2

Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay on anal swabs was recently reported to be persistently positive even after throat testing was negative during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, data about the consistent performanc...

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Main Authors: Chunhui Yuan, Hongmin Zhu, Yuan Yang, Xiaonan Cai, Feiyan Xiang, Huan Wu, Cong Yao, Yun Xiang, Han Xiao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1771219
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author Chunhui Yuan
Hongmin Zhu
Yuan Yang
Xiaonan Cai
Feiyan Xiang
Huan Wu
Cong Yao
Yun Xiang
Han Xiao
author_facet Chunhui Yuan
Hongmin Zhu
Yuan Yang
Xiaonan Cai
Feiyan Xiang
Huan Wu
Cong Yao
Yun Xiang
Han Xiao
author_sort Chunhui Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay on anal swabs was recently reported to be persistently positive even after throat testing was negative during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, data about the consistent performance of RT-PCR assay on throat and anal swabs remain limited in paediatric patients. Here, we retrospectively reviewed RT-PCR-testing results of 212 paediatric patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection at Wuhan Children’s Hospital. The diagnostic potential of these two types of specimens showed significant difference (positive rate: 78.2% on throat swabs vs. 52.6% on anal swabs, McNemar Test P = 0.0091) and exhibited a weak positive consistency (Kappa value was 0.311, P < 0.0001) in paediatric patients. Furthermore, viral loads detected on both throat and anal swabs also showed no significant difference (P = 0.9511) and correlation (Pearson r = 0.0434, P = 0.8406), and exhibited an inconsistent kinetic change through the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Besides, viral loads in the throat and anal swabs were correlated with different types of immune states, immune-reactive phase, and the resolution phase/immunologic tolerance, respectively. These findings revealed that RT-PCR-testing on throat and anal swabs showed significant difference for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection and correlated with different immune state in paediatric patients.
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spelling doaj-art-b200c909c45c45ef8d0680c8d899007e2025-08-20T03:08:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512020-01-01911233123710.1080/22221751.2020.1771219Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2Chunhui Yuan0Hongmin Zhu1Yuan Yang2Xiaonan Cai3Feiyan Xiang4Huan Wu5Cong Yao6Yun Xiang7Han Xiao8Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaHealth Care Department, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaInstitute of Maternal and Child Health, Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaReal-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay on anal swabs was recently reported to be persistently positive even after throat testing was negative during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, data about the consistent performance of RT-PCR assay on throat and anal swabs remain limited in paediatric patients. Here, we retrospectively reviewed RT-PCR-testing results of 212 paediatric patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection at Wuhan Children’s Hospital. The diagnostic potential of these two types of specimens showed significant difference (positive rate: 78.2% on throat swabs vs. 52.6% on anal swabs, McNemar Test P = 0.0091) and exhibited a weak positive consistency (Kappa value was 0.311, P < 0.0001) in paediatric patients. Furthermore, viral loads detected on both throat and anal swabs also showed no significant difference (P = 0.9511) and correlation (Pearson r = 0.0434, P = 0.8406), and exhibited an inconsistent kinetic change through the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Besides, viral loads in the throat and anal swabs were correlated with different types of immune states, immune-reactive phase, and the resolution phase/immunologic tolerance, respectively. These findings revealed that RT-PCR-testing on throat and anal swabs showed significant difference for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection and correlated with different immune state in paediatric patients.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1771219SARS-CoV-2paediatric patientsRT-PCRdiagnostic potentialviral load
spellingShingle Chunhui Yuan
Hongmin Zhu
Yuan Yang
Xiaonan Cai
Feiyan Xiang
Huan Wu
Cong Yao
Yun Xiang
Han Xiao
Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
Emerging Microbes and Infections
SARS-CoV-2
paediatric patients
RT-PCR
diagnostic potential
viral load
title Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
title_full Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
title_fullStr Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
title_full_unstemmed Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
title_short Viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with SARS-CoV-2
title_sort viral loads in throat and anal swabs in children infected with sars cov 2
topic SARS-CoV-2
paediatric patients
RT-PCR
diagnostic potential
viral load
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1771219
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