Publication date: Sep 08, 2025
Millions of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests have been performed worldwide during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, using various protocols. This study evaluates the duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detectability by RT-PCR at body temperature and analyzes changes in cycle threshold (Ct) values over time. Positive nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR (n = 120) with different Ct values were collected from Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain, 2020). Samples were processed using an open-access protocol for the Hologic Panther Fusion system, targeting the envelope gene. They were stratified into six Ct value groups (40. 0) and incubated at 37^0C for 15, 30, 45, and 60 days, with RT-PCR repeated at each interval. Samples with Ct 40. 0 were negative by day 15. A significant proportion of samples with Ct ≤35. 0 remained positive at day 60. Positivity during incubation decreased with higher Ct values (P
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Covid | COVID-19 |
| Pandemic | cycle threshold (Ct) |
| Panther | RNA persistence |
| Pcr | RT-PCR |
| SARS-CoV-2 |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | infection |