Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link
Volume 10, Number 5—May 2004
Research

Laboratory Diagnosis of SARS

Paul K.S. Chan*Comments to Author , Wing-Kin To†, King-Cheung Ng*, Rebecca K. Y. Lam*, Tak-Keung Ng†, Rickjason C. W. Chan*Comments to Author , Alan Wu*, Wai-Cho Yu†, Nelson Lee*, David S. C. Hui*, Sik-To Lai†, Ellis K. L. Hon*, Chi-Kong Li*, Joseph J. Y. Sung*, and John S. Tam*
Author affiliations: *The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China; †Princess Margaret Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

Main Article

Table 2

Diagnostic yield of specimen types to detect SARS-CoV according to time of collectiona


No. positive specimens/no. tested for SARS-CoV (%)
RT-PCR Virus isolation
Specimen type
1 week
2 weeks
3–4 weeks

1 week
2 weeks
3–4 weeks
Respiratory







Tracheal aspirate
1/2 (50.0)
1/1 (100)
4/4 (100)

2/3 (66.7)
1/1 (100)
0/3
Pooled throat and nasal swabs
6/17 (35.3)
2/3 (66.7)
2/5 (40.0)

4/18 (22.2)
0/3
0/1
Nasal swab
9/27 (33.3)
5/14 (35.7)
1/17 (5.9)

3/29 (10.3)
2/18 (11.1)
0/19
Nasopharyngeal aspirate
39/138 (28.3)
15/44 (34.1)
6/10 (60.0)

23/171 (13.5)
6/54 (11.1)
0/9
Throat swab
5/19 (26.3)
5/14 (35.7)
3/10 (30.0)

2/23 (8.7)
0/15
1/15 (6.7)
Throat washing
4/40 (10.0)
13/58 (22.4)
1/48 (2.1)

0/36
1/62 (1.6)
0/51
Nonrespiratory







Rectal swab
5/11 (45.5)
2/10 (20.0)
3/7 (42.9)

0/14
0/12
0/35
Stool
9/21 (42.9)
17/25 (68.0)
34/80 (42.5)

2/24 (8.3)
0/28
0/141
Urine 2/75 (2.7) 5/82 (6.1) 6/54 (11.1) 0/110 0/86 2/76 (2.6)

aSARS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus; RT-PCR, reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction.

Main Article

Page created: February 22, 2011
Page updated: February 22, 2011
Page reviewed: February 22, 2011
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
file_external