Among symptomatic outpatients, subgenomic RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in nasal midturbinate swab specimens was concordant with antigen detection but remained detectable in 13 (82.1%) of 16 nasopharyngeal swab specimens from antigen-negative persons. Subgenomic RNA in midturbinate swab specimens might be useful for routine diagnostics to identify active virus replication.
Keywords: COVID-19; RNA; SARS-CoV-2; antigen detection; coronavirus; coronavirus disease; nasal midturbinate; nasopharyngeal; nucleocapsid; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; subgenomic RNA; swab specimens; viruses; zoonoses.