Table 1. Frequency of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in human blood and blood products based on a systematic literature review.
Full metadata are presented in Extended Data File 1, available online 9.
| Citation | Setting | Frequency and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA |
|---|---|---|
| ACUTE COVID-19 INFECTION | ||
| Wang et al., JAMA 4 | n=205 patients with COVID-19; Hubei and
Shandong provinces and Beijing, China |
• Blood: 3/307 samples RNA positive collected from 205
patients (0.98%); mean Ct 34-35 • No difference in Ct values between blood, stool, and respiratory samples |
| Zhang
et al.,
Emerging
Microbes & Infections 13 |
n=178; Wuhan pulmonary hospital, China | • Whole blood: 6/178 (3.4%) PCR positive; Ct 30-32
• Serum: 3/178 (1.7%) PCR positive; Ct 24-33 • None of the patients with viral RNA detected in blood had positive respiratory swabs |
| Lescure
et al.,
Lancet
Inf. Dis. 14 |
n= 5, hospital patients, France | • Plasma: 1/5 (20%) PCR positive; Ct >35
• Latest positive 12 days after symptom onset. • The patient with vRNA-aemia was the most severely ill. |
| Duan et al., PNAS 15 | n= 10, severe COVID19 patients, Wuhan,
China |
• Serum: 7/10 (70%) PCR positive; Ct 34-38 |
| Chen et al., CID 16 | n=48, General Hospital of Central Theater
Command, PLA, Wuhan, China |
• Serum: 5/48 (10%) PCR positive
• RNAaemia only in the critically ill group (but 12 critically ill patients had no RNA-aemia) • RNA-aemia associated with elevated IL-6 |
| Chen
et al.,
Emerg
Microbes Infect. 17 |
n=57, Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital,
China |
• Serum: 6/57 (11%) PCR positive; Ct 32-41
• RNA-aemia associated with severe symptoms |
| Fang et al., J. Infect. 18 | n=32, Central Hospital of Xiangtan, China | • Blood: 7/8 (88%) PCR positive in ICU patients and 16/24
(67%) in non-ICU patients. |
| Han et al., CID 19 | n=2, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul
National University, Korea |
• Mother and 27 day old infant
• Plasma: RNA detected in infant up to day 10, mother’s plasma negative |
| Huang et al., Lancet 20 | n=41, hospitalised patients, Jin Yin-tan Hospital,
Wuhan, China |
• Plasma: 6/41 (15%) PCR positive
• No difference in ICU admissions between patients with and without RNA-aemia. |
| Yu et al., CID 21 | n=4, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital
Medical University, Beijing, China |
• Blood: 0/4 (0%) PCR positive |
| Young et al., JAMA 22 | n= 18, hospitalized patients, Singapore | • Blood: 1/12 (8%) PCR positive |
| Xie et al., Int J Inf Dis. 23 | n=9, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital
and Sichuan Mianyang 404 Hospital, Chengdu, China |
• Blood: 0/9 (0%) PCR positive |
| Wu
et al.,
Travel Med Inf
Dis. 24 |
n=132, The East Section of Renmin
Hospital of Wuhan University, China |
• Blood: 4/132 (3.03%) PCR positive |
| Cai et al., CID 25 | n=5, Childrens’ hospital, Shanghai | • Serum: 0/5 PCR positive within 2-3 days of symptom onset |
| Zheng et al. BMJ 3 | n= 96 admitted patients Zhejiang province,
China |
• Serum: 39/96 (41%) overall (6/22 (27%) in mild cases, and
33/74 (45%) in severe case) • No difference in viral load between mild and severe cases • Serum had the lowest viral load compared with stool and respiratory samples. |
| Wolfel et al., Nature 26 | n=9, hospitalised, Munich, Germany | • Serum: 0/9 (0%) PCR positive |
| Kujawski
et al.,
Nature
Medicine 27 |
n=11, hospitalised patients, USA | • Serum: 1/11 (9%) PCR positive
• Detection of RNA in serum associated with clinical deterioration |
| Peng L
et al.,
J Med
Virology 28 |
n=9, hospitalised patients, Sun Yat‐sen
University, China |
• Whole blood: 2/9 PCR positive |
| Corman VM
et al.,
Transfusion 29 |
n=18, range of patients, Germany | • Serum: 1/18 PCR positive, in patient with ARDS needing
mechanical ventilation. • SARS-CoV-2 present at 179 copies/ml |
| Song et al., MedRxiv 30 | n=1, China | • Plasma: 0/1 positive |
| Lu et al., MedRxiv 31 | n=6, hospitalised patients,. Jiangsu, China. | • Serum: 0/6 positive |
| Mancuso
et al
MedRxiv 32 |
n=22 (10 severe disease, 12 mild disease),
Milan, Italy |
• Plasma: 6/10 RNA positive in severe group (60%) and 2/12
(1.6%) in the mild group. |
| Hogan et al., MedRxiv 33 | n=85, California, USA | • Plasma: 28/85 detectable RNA
• Median Ct value 37.5 (compared with 27.1 for nasopharyngeal aspirate) • Those with RNA-aemia were older and more likely to go to ICU and need mechanical ventilation • All deaths occurred in those with RNA-aemia |
| Tan et al., MedRxiv 34 | n=67, Chongqing, China | • 9/63 (14%) positive for RNA |
| Chen et al., MedRxiv 35 | n-97, Zhuhai, China | • Whole blood: 4/97
• All 4 patients with RNA-aemia had the lowest oxygenation |
| Bouadma
et al.,
MedRxiv 36 |
n=1, Paris, France | • Blood: 1/1 RNA detected
• Patient developed multi-organ failure and died |
| CONVALESCENT PATIENTS (>28 days) | ||
| Ling
et al
Chinese
Med J 37 |
n=14, convalescent patients | • Serum: 0/14 (0%) |
| HEALTHY DONORS | ||
| Chang
et al.,
Emerging
Infectious Diseases 38 |
n= 7425 Healthy blood donors, Wuhan
Blood Center, China. Collected Jan-March 2020, peak epidemic. |
• Prospective testing of 1,656 platelet donations and 774
whole blood donations: 1/2430 RNA positive (0.04%) • Retrospective testing of whole blood donations: 3/4995 RNA positive (0.1%) |