Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in stool samples and nasopharyngeal swabs from COVID-19 patients in the UAE

Overall, in this study, 42% of participants that tested positive for the virus in nasopharyngeal swabs also tested positive in stools highlighting the high rate of viral shedding in stools among COVID-19 patients and demonstrating that wastewater-based epidemiology could provide estimates of infectious cases in the population. Based on the results reported in this study, wastewater-based surveillance has the advantage of monitoring virus shedding over time from symptomatic, asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and post-symptomatic individuals. This approach can present valuable information on the prevalence of the virus in the community and the early detection of outbreaks. Previously, studies investigating SARS-CoV-2 detection in stool samples were qualitative and involved hospitalized and severe cases. In this study, we explored the quantitative pattern of viral shedding in mild cases and highlighted the disparity between viral shedding in stools and nasopharyngeal swabs.

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