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Emerg Infect Dis
. 2021 Apr;27(4):1146-1150.
doi: 10.3201/eid2704.204199.
Stability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Nonsupplemented Saliva
Isabel M Ott, Madison S Strine, Anne E Watkins, Maikel Boot, Chaney C Kalinich, Christina A Harden, Chantal B F Vogels, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Adam J Moore, M Catherine Muenker, Maura Nakahata, Maria Tokuyama, Allison Nelson, John Fournier, Santos Bermejo, Melissa Campbell, Rupak Datta, Charles S Dela Cruz, Shelli F Farhadian, Albert I Ko, Akiko Iwasaki, Nathan D Grubaugh, Craig B Wilen, Anne L Wyllie, Yale IMPACT Research team3
- PMID: 33754989
- DOI: 10.3201/eid2704.204199
Abstract
The expense of saliva collection devices designed to stabilize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA is prohibitive to mass testing. However, virus RNA in nonsupplemented saliva is stable for extended periods and at elevated temperatures. Simple plastic tubes for saliva collection will make large-scale testing and continued surveillance easier.
Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease; diagnostics; respiratory infections; saliva; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.