[Isolation and identification of SARS-coronavirus in nasal and throat swabs collected from clinically diagnosed SARS patients].
OBJECTIVE
To isolate and identify SARS-coronavirus in nasal and throat swabs collected from clinically diagnosed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients.


METHODS
Nasal and throat swab specimens were inoculated onto well of 24-well plate containing confluent monolayers of Vero and MRC-5 cells. Isolates were identified with serology, electron microscopy and genome sequence.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-eight nasal and throat swabs specimens from 79 SARS patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between April and May, 2003 were cultured for SARS-coronavirus. Cytopathic effect (CPE) was found in three nasal swab specimens inoculated in Vero cells. Acute and convalescent phase serum specimens collected from SARS patients were found with seroconversions and/or a fourfold or greater rises in indirect fluorescence antibodies (IgG and IgM) titers when the 3 isolates (infected Vero cells) were used as antigen. Coronavirus was observed in the culture supernatant by negative-stain electron microscopy. Genome sequence confirmed the isolates were SARS-coronavirus.


CONCLUSIONS
The 3 isolates from nasal and throat swabs samples collected from 79 clinically diagnosed SARS patients were SARS coronavirus.
Ni
An-ping
AP
Department of Clinical Laboratory, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. niap@csc.pumch.ac.cn
Wang
Zhong
Z
Liu
Yong
Y
Liu
Shi-de
SD
Han
Ye-hua
YH
Shen
Yan
Y
Qiang
Bo-qin
BQ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D013048:Specimen Handling
D000914:Antibodies, Viral