Volume 10, Number 9—September 2004
Research
Viral Loads in Clinical Specimens and SARS Manifestations
I.F.N. Hung*, V.C.C. Cheng*, A.K.L. Wu†, B.S.F. Tang*, K.H. Chan*, C.M. Chu‡, M.M.L. Wong§, W.T. Hui*, L.L.M. Poon*, D.M.W. Tse§, K.S. Chan‡, P.C.Y. Woo*, S.K.P. Lau*, J.S.M. Peiris*, and K.Y. Yuen*
Table 2
SARS-CoV and viral load in different clinical specimens taken during days 10 to 15 after the onset of symptomsa
| Clinical specimens | Mean viral load in log10 copies/mL (SD), all specimens | Mean viral load in log10 copies/mL (SD), positive specimens only | Positivity by RT-qPCR (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPA (n = 142) | 2.4 (3.1) | 5.8 (1.7) | 60/142 (42.3) |
| Serum (n = 53) | 1.1 (1.4) | 2.7 (0.6) | 22/53 (41.5) |
| Stool (n = 94) | 6.1 (3.0) | 7.0 (2.1) | 82/94 (87.2) |
| Urine (n = 111) | 1.3 (2.1) | 4.4 (1.3) | 32/111 (28.8) |
aSARS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus; SD, standard deviation; RT-qPCR, quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction; NPA, nasopharyngeal aspirates.
