SARS-CoV-2: Viral Loads of Exhaled Breath and Oronasopharyngeal Specimens in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 seems mainly transmissible via respiratory droplets. We compared the time-dependent SARS-CoV-2 viral load in serial pharyngeal swab with exhaled breath (EB) samples of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: In this prospective proof of concept study, we examined hospitalized patients who initially tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Paired oronasopharyngeal swab and EB specimens were taken at different days of hospitalization. EB collection was performed through a simple, noninvasive method using an electret air filter-based device. SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was determined with real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Of 187 serial samples from 15 hospitalized patients, 87/87 oronasopharyngeal swabs and 70/100 EB specimens tested positive. Comparing the number of SARS-CoV-2 copies, the viral load of the oronasopharyngeal swabs was significantly higher (CI 99%, P<<0,001) than for EB samples. The mean viral load per swab was 7.97 × 106 (1.65 × 102-1.4 × 108), whereas EB samples showed 2.47 × 103 (7.19 × 101-2.94 × 104) copies per 20 times exhaling. Viral loads of paired oronasopharyngeal swab and EB samples showed no correlation. Conclusions: Assessing the infectiousness of COVID-19 patients merely through pharyngeal swabs might not be accurate. Exhaled breath could represent a more suitable matrix for evaluating infectiousness and might allow screening for superspreader individuals and widespread variants such as Delta.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• Exhaled Breath
• Viral Loads
• Airborne Transmission