Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

October 26, 2020

Comparison of Upper Respiratory Viral Load Distributions in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Children Diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Hospital Testing Programs

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  • Children with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection were found to have lower levels of virus in their nasopharynx/oropharynx than children with symptomatic infection, but timing of infection relative to diagnosis likely influenced levels in asymptomatic children. A study assessing Ct values and estimated viral load in children with asymptomatic versus symptomatic infection showed that the median adjusted Ct value in children with no symptoms was 10.3 cycles higher than for children with symptoms, indicating a lower viral load. Children with no symptoms who had diabetes (OR=6.5), recent contact with an infected person (OR=2.3), and who were tested for surveillance (OR=2.7) had higher estimated risk of having a higher viral load.

Kociolek et al. (Oct 22, 2020). Comparison of Upper Respiratory Viral Load Distributions in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Children Diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Hospital Testing Programs. Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02593-20