TABLE 1.

Investigation of subjects for presence of SARS CoV^a

Subject no.	Diagnosis	Days from onset	Days from illness to discharge or result	Result of quantitative real-time PCR (copies/ml of blood)	Result of gel-based nested PCR
1	Probable SARS	2	9	2,020	+
2	Probable SARS	4	Died	9,100	+
3	Probable SARS	4	>30	3,120	+
4	Probable SARS	5	13	9,600	+
5	Probable SARS	12	18	Negative	−
6	Probable SARS	13	18	Negative	−
7	Probable SARS	14	>30	Negative	−
8	Probable SARS	14	36	Negative	−
9	Non-SARS	0	0	Negative	−
10	Non-SARS	2	1	Negative	−
11	Non-SARS	3	12	Negative	−
12	Non-SARS	10	9	Negative	−
13	Control			Negative	−
14	Control			Negative	−
15	Control			Negative	−
16	Control			Negative	−
17	Control			Negative	−
18	Control			Negative	−

^aEighteen subjects were tested by both nested PCR and quantitative real-time PCR (LightCycler). Four out of eight subjects with probable SARS cases tested positive. Specimens from non-SARS cases and controls from normal healthy individuals consistently tested negative.