Wang, Wei-KungWei-KungWangSHEY-YING CHENLiu, I-JungI-JungLiuYEE-CHUN CHENHui-Ling ChenYang, Chao-FuChao-FuYangPEI-JER CHENShiou-Hwei YehCHUAN-LIANG KAOLI-MIN HUANGPO-REN HSUEHJANN-TAY WANGWANG-HUEI SHENGCHI-TAI FANGCHIEN-CHING HUNGSZU-MIN HSIEHSu, Chan-PingChan-PingSuWEN-CHU CHIANGYang, Jyh-YuanJyh-YuanYangLin, Jih-HuiJih-HuiLinHsieh, Szu-ChiaSzu-ChiaHsiehHu, Hsien-PingHsien-PingHuChiang, Yu-PingYu-PingChiangJIN-TOWN WANGPAN-CHYR YANGSHAN-CHWEN CHANG2022-12-302022-12-302004-071080-6040https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/626858The severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is thought to be transmitted primarily through dispersal of droplets, but little is known about the load of SARS-CoV in oral droplets. We examined oral specimens, including throat wash and saliva, and found large amounts of SARS-CoV RNA in both throat wash (9.58 x 10(2) to 5.93 x 10(6) copies/mL) and saliva (7.08 x 10(3) to 6.38 x 10(8) copies/mL) from all specimens of 17 consecutive probable SARS case-patients, supporting the possibility of transmission through oral droplets. Immunofluorescence study showed replication of SARS-CoV in the cells derived from throat wash, demonstrating the possibility of developing a convenient antigen detection assay. This finding, with the high detection rate a median of 4 days after disease onset and before the development of lung lesions in four patients, suggests that throat wash and saliva should be included in sample collection guidelines for SARS diagnosis.en[SDGs]SDG3journal article10.3201/eid1007.031113153245402-s2.0-84984539674https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/417202