Torquetenovirus in saliva: A potential biomarker for SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Torquetenovirus (TTV) is present in biological fluids from healthy individuals and measurement of its titer is used to assess immune status in individuals with chronic infections and after transplants. We assessed if the titer of TTV in saliva varied with the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the nasopharynx and could be a marker of COVID-19 status. Saliva from 91 individuals positive for SARS-CoV-2 in nasal-oropharyngeal samples, and from 126 individuals who were SARS-CoV-2-negative, all with mild respiratory symptoms, were analyzed.

Performance of at-home self-collected saliva and nasal-oropharyngeal swabs in the surveillance of COVID-19.

: SARS-CoV-2 quickly spreads in the worldwide population, imposing social restrictions to control the infection, being the massive testing another essential strategy to break the chain of transmission. : To compare the performance of at-home self-collected samples - saliva and combined nasal-oropharyngeal swabs (NOP) - for SARS-CoV-2 detection in a telemedicine platform for COVID-19 surveillance. : We analyzed 201 patients who met the criteria of suspected COVID-19.