Comparison Of Ct Values In Relation With Age And Gender

Abstract

An acute respiratory infection is the most common health issue affecting all age groups and contributes to the world’s disease burden. SARS COV-2 virus is a complex disease affected by multiple factors like inherited conditions, genetic factor, along with comorbidities and other associated risk factors. The comorbid conditions are the modifiable factors which along with the non-modifiable factors which are age and gender influences the outcome of the COVID 19 infection, prognosis, morbidity and mortality. The Cycle threshold (Ct value), value is inversely correlated with viral load.  Assessing Ct value and comparing among different age groups and gender with SARS-CoV-2 infection is required to devise treatment and assess the transmission potential of that particular age group. Thus, understanding the viral kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 among different age groups is of vital importance. This study helps in determine the importance of Ct value as viral load assessment and its association with the age and gender of COVID-19 patients. thus helping out in monitoring the critically ill patients .

Methods and materials

The  cross-sectional prospective study  was conducted in BSL-2 virology Lab, Central laboratory in department of microbiology  from April 2022 to May 2023. All the samples receive in the laboratory were then processed and analysed using RT-PCR in BSL-2 Virology lab. Ct values of all the COVID-19 positive samples were compared with different age groups and gender. Ct values were taken into consideration to correlate with the viral load. Ct value were categorised into high viral load (Ct <25), moderate viral load (Ct = 25-30) and low viral load (Ct>30). Age groups were also categorised into <18 years, 18-60 years and >60 years. The aim of this study was to comparison of the viral load (Ct value) in relation to different age group and gender.

Results

Total 2836 patients were tested for SARS Cov-2 infection, out of which 285 (10.04%) patients were tested positive for the COVID infection. Most infected age group was found to be the middle age group with 79% positivity rate showing significantly high viral load. Among the gender , males were more infected with COVID -19 infection with 62.4%.

Conclusion

The study conducted shows high viral load in middle age group population. It also shows higher SARS CoV-2 infection among males. Most of the infected people are the healthcare workers and by providing the Ct value along with the test report will help in implicating various preventive measures, especially among healthcare workers..