Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

July 30, 2020

Age-Related Differences in Nasopharyngeal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Levels in Patients With Mild To Moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

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  • Heald-Sargent et al. followed a cohort of children and adults (n=145) with mild to moderate COVID-19 who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 within one week of symptom onset and found that the youngest children (<5 years) had high amounts of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in their nasopharynx (median  cycle threshold 6.5 [4.8-12.0]) compared with older children (11.1 [6.3-15.7])  and adults adults (11.0 [6.9-17.5]). These differences correspond to a 10-fold to 100-fold greater amount of SARS-CoV-2 in the respiratory tract of the youngest children.  

Heald-Sargent et al. (July 30, 2020). Age-Related Differences in Nasopharyngeal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Levels in Patients With Mild To Moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3651