Understanding the pathophysiology of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection remains a significant challenge of our times. The gingival crevicular fluid being representative of systemic status and having a proven track record of detecting viruses and biomarkers forms a logical basis for evaluating the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study aimed to assess gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) for evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in 33 patients who were deemed to be COVID-19 positive upon nasopharyngeal sampling. An attempt was also made to comparatively evaluate it with saliva in terms of its sensitivity, as a diagnostic fluid for SARS-CoV-2. GCF and saliva samples were collected from 33 COVID-19–confirmed patients. Total RNA was extracted using NucliSENS easyMAG (bioMérieux) and eluted in the elution buffer. Envelope gene ( E gene) of SARS-CoV-2 and human RNase P gene as internal control were detected in GCF samples by using the TRUPCR SARS-CoV-2 RT qPCR kit V-2.0 (I) in an Applied Biosystems 7500 real-time machine. A significant majority of both asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients exhibited the presence of the novel coronavirus in their GCF samples. Considering the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the nasopharyngeal swab sampling as gold standard, the sensitivity of GCF and saliva, respectively, was 63.64% (confidence interval [CI], 45.1% to 79.60%) and 64.52% (CI, 45.37% to 80.77%). GCF was found to be comparable to saliva in terms of its sensitivity to detect SARS-CoV-2. Saliva samples tested positive in 3 of the 12 patients whose GCF tested negative, and likewise GCF tested positive for 2 of the 11 patients whose saliva tested negative on real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results establish GCF as a possible mode of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, which is the first such report in the literature, and also provide the first quantifiable evidence pointing toward a link between the COVID-19 infection and oral health.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Saliva, diagnostics, Oral hygiene, oral health, periodontal, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, viruses, SARS-CoV-2, Saliva, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, Biomarker, Biomarkers, Infection, diagnostic, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, virus, Novel coronavirus, RNA, Nasopharyngeal swab, polymerase chain reaction, sensitivity, Health, Asymptomatic, COVID-19 infection, Internal control, pathophysiology, nasopharyngeal, qPCR, Patient, understanding, gold, envelope, reverse transcription, oral health, SARS-CoV-2 RNA, respiratory, patients, saliva sample, Evidence, bioMérieux, evidence of, Chain Reaction, crevicular fluid, confidence interval, Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, gold standard, E gene, RNase P, our times, saliva samples, total RNA, positive, human RNase P gene, envelope gene, transmission of SARS-CoV-2, Applied Biosystems, elution buffer, nasopharyngeal sampling, polymerase chain, tested, detect, collected, evaluate, form, exhibited, majority, Applied Biosystem, comparable, Total, mildly symptomatic patient, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, detection,