Detection of Chikungunya Virus RNA in Oral Fluid and Urine: An Alternative Approach to Diagnosis?

Leile Camila Jacob-Nascimento, Moyra M. Portilho, Rosângela O. Anjos, Patrícia S.S. Moreira, Christine Stauber, Scott C. Weaver, Uriel Kitron, Mitermayer G. Reis, Guilherme S. Ribeiro

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

To evaluate whether oral fluids (OF) and urine can serve as alternative, non-invasive samples to diagnose chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection via RT-qPCR, we employed the same RNA extraction and RT-qPCR protocols on paired serum, OF and urine samples collected from 51 patients with chikungunya during the acute phase of the illness. Chikungunya patients were confirmed through RT-qPCR in acute-phase sera (N = 19), IgM seroconversion between acute- and convalescent-phase sera (N = 12), or IgM detection in acute-phase sera (N = 20). The controls included paired serum, OF and urine samples from patients with non-arbovirus acute febrile illness (N = 28) and RT-PCR-confirmed dengue (N = 16). Nine (47%) of the patients with positive RT-qPCR for CHIKV in sera and two (17%) of those with CHIKV infection confirmed solely via IgM seroconversion had OF positive for CHIKV in RT-qPCR. One (5%) patient with CHIKV infection confirmed via serum RT-qPCR was positive in the RT-qPCR performed on urine. None of the negative control group samples were positive. Although OF may serve as an alternative sample for diagnosing acute chikungunya in specific settings, a negative result cannot rule out an infection. Further research is needed to investigate whether OF and urine collected later in the disease course when serum becomes RT-qPCR-negative may be helpful in CHIKV diagnosis and surveillance, as well as to determine whether urine and OF pose any risk of CHIKV transmission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number235
JournalViruses
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2024

Keywords

  • chikungunya
  • molecular diagnosis
  • oral fluid
  • RT-qPCR
  • urine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

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