PCR of upper respiratory specimens is the diagnostic standard for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, saliva sampling is an easy alternative to nasal and throat swabbing. We found similar viral loads in saliva samples and in nasal and throat swab samples from 110 patients with coronavirus disease.
Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; coronavirus disease; diagnosis; respiratory infections; saliva; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; swabs; testing; upper respiratory swab samples; viruses; zoonoses.