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Infection sustained by lineage B.1.1.7 of SARS-CoV-2 is characterised by longer persistence and higher viral RNA loads in nasopharyngeal swabs

Authors :
Paolo Calistri
Laura Amato
Ilaria Puglia
Francesca Cito
Alessandra Di Giuseppe
Maria Luisa Danzetta
Daniela Morelli
Marco Di Domenico
Marialuigia Caporale
Silvia Scialabba
Ottavio Portanti
Valentina Curini
Fabrizia Perletta
Cesare Cammà
Massimo Ancora
Giovanni Savini
Giacomo Migliorati
Nicola D’Alterio
Alessio Lorusso
Source :
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol 105, Iss , Pp 753-755 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Elsevier, 2021.

Abstract

• Following the announcement on December 2020 about the emergence of a new variant (VOC 202012/01, B.1.1.7 lineage) in the United Kingdom, a targeted surveillance was put in place in the Abruzzo region (Italy), which allowed detection of 313 persons affected by lineage B.1.1.7, up to the 20th of February 2021. We investigated the results of RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs tested from December 2020 to February 2021 to verify any difference on the viral load and persistence between people infected by lineage B.1.1.7 and others. Statistically significant lower values of CT associated with the detection of the N protein encoding gene (CT N) were observed in persons with lineage B.1.1.7 infection (median CT N = 15.8) in comparison to those infected by other lineages (median CT N = 16.9). A significantly longer duration of the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal swabs was observed in persons with lineage B.1.1.7 infection (16 days) in comparison to those infected by other lineages (14 days).

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
12019712
Volume :
105
Issue :
753-755
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.b3dd132bcfb849d3a500838a421a4ded
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.005