Differential kinetics of RNA loads and infectious viral levels in the upper respiratory tract between asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected adult outpatients remain unclear limiting recommendations that may guide clinical management, infection control measures and occupational health decisions. In the present investigation, 496 (2.8%) of 17,911 French adult outpatients were positive for an upper respiratory tract SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by a quantitative RT-PCR assay, of which 180 (36.3%) were COVID-19 asymptomatic. Of these adult asymptomatic viral shedders, 75% had mean to high RNA viral loads (Ct values < 30) which median value was significantly higher than that observed in symptomatic subjects ( P = 0.029), and 50.6% were positive by cell culture assays of their upper respiratory tract specimens. Our findings indicate that COVID-19 asymptomatic adult outpatients are significant viable SARS-CoV-2 shedders in their upper respiratory tract playing a major potential role as SARS-CoV-2 transmitters in various epidemiological transmission chains, promoting COVID-19 resurgence in populations.
【저자키워드】 Infectious diseases, Infection, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, infection control, Transmission, occupational health, RNA, Health, Viral, Asymptomatic, Viral load, symptomatic, Cell culture, Clinical management, epidemiological, respiratory, Quantitative, upper respiratory tract, specimens, RT-PCR assay, SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection, Ct values, subject, measure, French, positive, median value, RNA loads, recommendation, populations, significantly higher, adult outpatient, RNA load, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Outpatient, Significant, Viable,