SARS-CoV-2 reliably detected in frozen saliva samples stored up to one year

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jennifer Frediani, Emory University; Kaleb B McLendon, The Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Adrianna Westbrook, The Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Scott E Gillespie, Emory University; Anna Wood, Emory University; Tyler J Baugh, The Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; William O'Sick, The Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; John Roback, Emory University; Wilbur Lam, Emory University; Joshua Levy, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-08-01
• Publisher: PLoS
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 Frediani et al
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272971
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: PLoS ONE
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 8 August
• Start Page: e0272971
• End Page: e0272971
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering RADx program, [Grant Number: 54 EB027690 02S1] WL and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [Grant Number: UL1 TR002378](PI not an author). Funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
• Keywords: Saliva; COVID-19 Testing; Pandemics; COVID-19; RNA, Viral; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Specimen Handling
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Nursing; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Viability of saliva samples stored for longer than 28 days has not been reported in the literature. The COVID-19 pandemic has spawned new research evaluating various sample types, thus large biobanks have been started. Residual saliva samples from university student surveillance testing were retested on SalivaDirect and compared with original RT-PCR (cycle threshold values) and quantitative antigen values for each month in storage. We conclude that saliva samples stored at -80°C are still viable in detecting SARS-CoV-2 after 12 months of storage, establishing the validity of these samples for future testing.