Gilbert T Chua1, Joshua S C Wong2, Kelvin K W To3, Ivan C S Lam2, Felix Y S Yau4, Wai Hung Chan4, Polly P K Ho4, Jaime S R Duque1, Cyril C Y Yip3, Anthony C K Ng3, Wilfred H S Wong1, Joyce H Y Kwong5, Kate F S Leung5, P T Wan5, Kelly Lam5, Ian C K Wong6,7, Janette Kwok8, Marco H K Ho1, Godfrey C F Chan1, Yu Lung Lau1, Patrick Ip1, Mike Y W Kwan2. 1. Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 2. Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 3. Department of Microbiology, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 4. Department of Paediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 5. Haematology laboratory, Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 6. Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China. 7. Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College, London, United Kingdom. 8. Divison of Transplantation and Immunogenetics, Department of Pathology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pediatric COVID-19 studies exploring the relationships between NPS and saliva viral loads, clinical and immunological profiles are lacking. METHODS: Demographics, immunological profiles, nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), and saliva samples collected on admission, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were assessed in children below 18 years with COVID-19. FINDINGS: 91 patients were included between March and August 20 20. NPS and saliva viral loads were correlated (r = 0.315, p = 0.01). Symptomatic patients had significantly higher NPS and saliva viral loads than asymptomatic patients. Serial NPS and saliva viral load measurements showed that the log10 NPS (r = -0.532, p < 0.001) and saliva (r = -0.417, p < 0.001) viral loads for all patients were inversely correlated with the days from symptom onset with statistical significance. Patients with cough, sputum, and headache had significantly higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads. Higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads were associated with total lymphopenia, CD3 and CD4 lymphopenia (all p < 0.05), and were inversely correlated with total lymphocyte (r = -0.43), CD3 (r = -0.55), CD4 (r = -0.60), CD8 (r = -0.41), B (r = -0.482), and NK (r = -0.416) lymphocyte counts (all p < 0.05). INTERPRETATION: Saliva viral loads on admission in children correlated better with clinical and immunological profiles than NPS.
BACKGROUND: Pediatric COVID-19 studies exploring the relationships between NPS and saliva viral loads, clinical and immunological profiles are lacking. METHODS: Demographics, immunological profiles, nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), and saliva samples collected on admission, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were assessed in children below 18 years with COVID-19. FINDINGS: 91 patients were included between March and August 20 20. NPS and saliva viral loads were correlated (r = 0.315, p = 0.01). Symptomatic patients had significantly higher NPS and saliva viral loads than asymptomatic patients. Serial NPS and saliva viral load measurements showed that the log10 NPS (r = -0.532, p < 0.001) and saliva (r = -0.417, p < 0.001) viral loads for all patients were inversely correlated with the days from symptom onset with statistical significance. Patients with cough, sputum, and headache had significantly higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads. Higher saliva, but not NPS, viral loads were associated with total lymphopenia, CD3 and CD4 lymphopenia (all p < 0.05), and were inversely correlated with total lymphocyte (r = -0.43), CD3 (r = -0.55), CD4 (r = -0.60), CD8 (r = -0.41), B (r = -0.482), and NK (r = -0.416) lymphocyte counts (all p < 0.05). INTERPRETATION: Saliva viral loads on admission in children correlated better with clinical and immunological profiles than NPS.
Authors: Sally Cheuk Ying Wong; Herman Tse; Hon Kei Siu; Tsz Shan Kwong; Man Yee Chu; Felix Yat Sun Yau; Ingrid Yu Ying Cheung; Cindy Wing Sze Tse; Kin Chiu Poon; Kwok Chi Cheung; Tak Chiu Wu; Johnny Wai Man Chan; Wah Cheuk; David Christopher Lung Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2020-12-31 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Marta Alenquer; Tiago Milheiro Silva; Onome Akpogheneta; Filipe Ferreira; Sílvia Vale-Costa; Mónica Medina-Lopes; Frederico Batista; Ana Margarida Garcia; Vasco M Barreto; Cathy Paulino; João Costa; João Sobral; Maria Diniz-da-Costa; Susana Ladeiro; Rita Corte-Real; José Delgado Alves; Ricardo B Leite; Jocelyne Demengeot; Maria João Rocha Brito; Maria João Amorim Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-06-15 Impact factor: 3.752
Authors: Hing Wai Tsang; Gilbert T Chua; Kelvin K W To; Joshua S C Wong; Wenwei Tu; Janette S Y Kwok; Wilfred H S Wong; Xiwei Wang; Yanmei Zhang; Jaime S Rosa Duque; Godfrey C F Chan; Wai Kit Chu; C P Pang; Paul K H Tam; Yu Lung Lau; Ian C K Wong; W H Leung; Kwok-Yung Yuen; Mike Y W Kwan; Patrick Ip Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2021-12-17 Impact factor: 7.561