LAUSR

Background:COVID-19 being an airborne High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) warrants early detection to con- tain spread especially in a pandemic that has gripped the world by storm. RT-PCR (Real time polymerase chain reaction) is considered the gold standard confirmatory test for COVID-19. The assay is based on detection of viral RNA and genes located in different regions of SARS-COV 2 genome with a potent detection limit of >=10 genomic copies per reaction. Average duration of RT-PCR result becoming negative from positive gives an idea as to how long a patient needs quaran- tine and also a perception of clinical recovery. Methods:This study includes 1766 positive patients tested at JLN Medical College Ajmer, Rajasthan, out of the total pa- tient who underwent RT-PCR testing from 26-08-2020 to 17-11-2020. The samples were collected through oro or naso- pharyngeal swabs. Automated RNA extraction was done using Thermofisher and Perkin Elmer machines and RT -PCR was done on Bio-Rad Machines. Results:Out of 1766 samples, 61 samples in the age group of 0-14 years (children and young adolescents) showed an average duration of 10.5 days and range of 3-18 days to be reported negative, 1537 in the age group of 15-65 years (working age population) had an average duration of 11.3 days and range 1 -32 days, 168 for >=66 years (elderly popula- tion) had an average duration of 10.7 days and range of 1-23 days. When gender is compared, 505 were females with average illness duration of 10.7 days and range 1-32 days and 1261 were males with average duration of 11.2 days and range 1-31 days. Conclusions:Once tested positive there is a very subtle difference in duration of being reported negative between the various age groups and gender with children and young adolescents getting an earlier negative result than others and females earlier than the male population.