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Retrospective detection reveals absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human throat swab samples collected during Jan-May 2019 in the influenza epidemic season
  • +8
  • Qi Zhai,
  • Wen-Kang Wei,
  • Qin-Ling Chen,
  • Chang-Zhi Xu,
  • Dian-Hong Lv,
  • Xiao-Hui Wen,
  • Ming-Fei Sun,
  • Zhi-Hong Xu,
  • Ming Liao,
  • Shao-Lun Zhai,
  • Yun Xi
Qi Zhai
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Wen-Kang Wei
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China;
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Qin-Ling Chen
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Chang-Zhi Xu
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen university
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Dian-Hong Lv
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Xiao-Hui Wen
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Ming-Fei Sun
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Zhi-Hong Xu
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Ming Liao
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Shao-Lun Zhai
Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510640, China Guangzhou, CN
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Yun Xi
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen university
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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), along with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are three emerging coronaviruses with huge public health in the 21st century. Especially, SARS-CoV-2 causes an unprecedented global pandemic and has spread in over than 200 countries. Clinically, SARS-CoV-2 could co-infected with respiratory pathogens including influenza virus and adenovirus in some present cases. This suggests that the differential diagnosis cannot be ignored. To investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 exists earlier and identify possible co-infection in human with respiratory disease, we performed the detections of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus using real-time RT-PCR method and colloidal gold test strip in 534 throat swab samples collected in influenza epidemic season (from January to May of 2019). 336 samples (62.9%) were tested positive for influenza virus, which involved into 230 single influenza A virus (IAV)-positive samples, 4 single influenza B virus (IBV)-positive samples, and 102 IAV and IBV co-infection samples. Unfortunately, we found no positive signal of SARS-CoV-2 in 534 samples. Our finding reveals absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human archived samples in before the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in China. In addition, this study suggests that IAV was still major respiratory pathogen responsible for respiratory disease in the influenza season.