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In our article, we report high viral load in children infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the first two days of illness. We did not assess viability of virus from these respiratory secretions and agree that RNA does not necessarily correlate with live virus. However, in hospitalized adults, live virus is readily cultured from respiratory secretions during the first week of symptoms.2 It is plausible that differences exists between pediatric and adult immune responses to SARS-CoV-23; distinctions in mucosal immune responses could impact viral detection by RT-PCR and/or severity of symptoms.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Letters to the Editor Source Type: research