Generalizing population RT-qPCR cycle threshold values-informed estimation of epidemiological dynamics: Impact of surveillance practices and pathogen variability.

Abstract excerpt

Population-level viral load distributions, measured by RT-qPCR or qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) values from surveillance testing, can be used to estimate the time-varying reproductive number ([Formula: see text]) in real-time during COVID-19 outbreaks. However, it remains unclear whether this approach can be broadly applied to other pathogens, sources of virologic test data, or surveillance strategies beyond those...

Topics

• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
• COVID-19
• Disease Outbreaks
• Viral Load
• Epidemiological Monitoring
• Genetic Variation