Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Viral Load in Respiratory and Feces Specimens of Children With Coronavirus Disease 2019

Abstract

Background: The viral load kinetics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 is not clear. Materials & methods: The viral load of throat, nasal and feces specimens of 10 children with coronavirus disease 2019 were detected and analyzed. Results: The virus load of nasal and throat specimen decreased extremely and all respiratory specimens tested negative on the third week after they were admitted. All children showed positive PCR results in their feces. A total of 70% children showed positive results at the fourth week and 40% children showed positive results in their feces at the fifth week. All children tested negative on the sixth week. Conclusion: The positive rate of stool in children was higher than that in adults and the shedding time of stool was longer than that of respiratory specimen.

Keywords:

• children
• coronavirus
• COVID-19
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
• viral load

Author contributions

G Zhongtao and Z Zhongfa had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and accuracy of the data analysis. M Xiang and S Liang contributed equally. G Zhongtao and Z Zhongfa conceptualized and designed the study. M Xiang, H Yuling and J Xuemei acquired, analyzed and interpreted the data. Ma Xiang drafted the manuscript. C Lu, S Jing, L Miao, Wang Jing and Z Zhongfa performed statistical analysis. M Xiang obtained funding. Z Zhongfa provided administrative, technical and material support. G Zhongtao supervised the study. All mentioned authors are involved in one or more part of the study, whether during the experiment or in writing the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

We thank all patients that were involved in this study. We also thank the staff of the Jinan Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the laboratory of Jinan Infectious Disease Hospital. We also thank all the medical staff who are working hard during the outbreak.

Availability of data & material

Data sharing is not applicable to this article because no datasets were generated or analyzed in this study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was funded by the Jinan Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Program (grant no. 201907032). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

This manuscript was edited by an English speaker from American (KGS company in Hongkong) and this was funded by the Jinan Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Program (grant no. 201907032).

Ethical conduct of research

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. It was approved by the ethical committee in Jinan Infectious Diseases Hospital (2020-JC-33). All the children’ parents signed informed consent forms.