SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Quantification, Clinical Findings and Outcomes in Children Seeking Emergency Department Care: Prospective Cohort Study

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2022 Jul 1;41(7):566-569. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003527. Epub 2022 Jun 7.

Abstract

We compared the perfomance of SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). 95% and 40% of positive and negative RT-PCR specimens, respectively, were positive on ddPCR yielding sensitivities of 84% (95% CI: 74, 91) and 97% (95% CI: 89, 99), for RT-PCR and ddPCR, respectively. We found that SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing in children has a concerning false-negative rate at lower nucleocapsid gene copy numbers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / diagnosis
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
  • Humans
  • Prospective Studies
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2* / genetics
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • RNA, Viral

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