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.enjournal article10.3201/eid1007.031113153245402-s2.0-84984539674https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/417202