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. 2021 Nov 16;12:6612. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26884-7

Fig. 1. Detailed virological analysis of 13 postmortem COVID-19 cases.

Fig. 1

a SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads, as measured with RT-qPCR, on a total of 40 ng RNA in the lungs or 1 mL of plasma of different cases (different colors) with short- or long-lived disease (<20 or >20 days after onset of symptoms, respectively). Central tendencies for SARS-CoV-2 copies are illustrated as a boxplot where the band indicates the median, the box indicates the first and third quartiles, and the whiskers indicate the minimum and maximum of all of the data. The significance of two-way ANOVA (with categorical variables duration and anatomical compartment) between the mean SARS-CoV-2 copy numbers of long and short duration is indicated on top (**P = 0.002; F = 12.589; df = 23). Source data are provided as a Source Data file. b SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NP) staining (in purple; large images and 2X-enlarged smaller images delineated in black) and corresponding hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining (2X-enlarged smaller images delineated in gray) of paraffin-embedded sections of lung tissue of four different cases with low (<5 copies/40 ng RNA) or high (>5 copies/40 ng RNA) viral RNA loads and short- or long-lived disease. Arrows show specific SARS-CoV-2 NP-positive cells or hyaline membranes (HM). Picture linings correspond to the respective case colors shown in the legend of Fig. 1a. Lower magnification IHC and HE images are shown in Fig. S3. All scale bars represent 100 µm. AEC alveolar epithelial cell, BEC bronchiolar epithelial cell, HM hyaline membrane, Mɸ macrophage. c Transmission electron microscopic image of a SARS-CoV-2 particle from plasma-derived viral progeny on Vero E6 cells. Controls are shown in Fig. S4c. Scale bar indicates 100 nm. d SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads on a total of 40 ng RNA, as measured with RT-qPCR, in selected extrapulmonary organs. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. e SARS-CoV-2 NP staining (in purple; large images and 2X-enlarged smaller images delineated in black) and corresponding hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining (2X-enlarged smaller images delineated in gray) of paraffin-embedded sections of extrapulmonary tissues of the case 13. Arrowheads indicate SARS-CoV-2 NP-positive cells. Picture delineations correspond to the respective case colors shown in the legend of Fig. 1d. Lower magnification IHC and HE images are shown in Fig. S5. CM cardiomyocyte, IF interstitial fibroblast, SEC sinusoidal endothelial cell, H hepatocyte, MC myeloid cell, Po podocyte, TEC tubular epithelial cell. Scale bars represent 100 µm.