Abstract
Objectives: We performed exhaled breath (EB) and nasopharyngeal (NP) quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and NP rapid antigen testing (NP RAT) of SARS-CoV-2 infections with different variants.
Methods: We included immuno-naïve alpha-infected (n = 11) and partly boosted omicron-infected patients (n = 8) as high-risk contacts. We compared peak NP and EB qPCR cycle time (ct) values between cohorts (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Test positivity was compared for three infection phases using Cochran Q test.
Results: Peak median NP ct was 11.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 10.1-12.1) for alpha and 12.2 (IQR 11.1-15.3) for omicron infections. Peak median EB ct was 25.2 (IQR 24.5-26.9) and 28.3 (IQR 26.4-30.8) for alpha and omicron infections, respectively. Distributions did not differ between cohorts for NP (P = 0.19) or EB (P = 0.09). SARS-CoV-2 shedding peaked on day 1 in EB (confidence interval [CI] 0.0 – 4.5) and day 3 in NP (CI 1.5 – 6.0). EB qPCR positivity equaled NP qPCR positivity on D0-D1 (P = 0.44) and D2-D6 (P = 1.0). It superseded NP RAT positivity on D0-D1 (P = 0.003) and D2-D6 (P = 0.008). It was inferior to both on D7-D10 (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Peak EB and nasopharynx shedding were comparable across variants. EB qPCR positivity matched NP qPCR and superseded NP RAT in the first week of infection.
Keywords: COVID-19; Exhaled breath; SARS-CoV-2; Variants of concern; Viral shedding.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, variants of concern, Viral shedding., Exhaled Breath, 【초록키워드】 SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, Test, variants, Antigen, Cohort, infections, nasopharyngeal, qPCR, breath, Patient, nasopharynx, Alpha, Quantitative, confidence interval, interquartile range, peak, polymerase chain, not differ, performed, peaked, median, comparable, Cochran Q test, IQR, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, 【제목키워드】 breath,