Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus RNA in plasma during the course of infection.
We examined severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) RNA in plasma of 32 patients (probable SARS cases) by a quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay and reported that the highest detection rate, 75%, was found between day 5 and day 7 of illness, followed by rates of 64, 50, and 38% found between day 8 and day 11, day 2 and day 4, and day 12 and day 16, respectively. Analysis of sequential SARS-CoV load in plasma from six cases revealed different patterns of viremia, with the peak between day 4 and day 8. Our findings of the high detection rate of SARS-CoV RNA in plasma before day 11, together with the relative convenience of collecting and handling plasma, suggest that plasma can be used for early diagnosis of SARS.
Wang
Wei-Kung
WK
Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Tapei, Taiwan.
Fang
Chi-Tai
CT
Chen
Hui-Ling
HL
Yang
Chao-Fu
CF
Chen
Yee-Chun
YC
Chen
Mei-Ling
ML
Chen
Shey-Ying
SY
Yang
Jyh-Yuan
JY
Lin
Jih-Hui
JH
Yang
Pan-Chyr
PC
Chang
Shan-Chwen
SC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D013624:Taiwan
D012367:RNA, Viral