SARS-CoV-2 viral load in saliva may be linked to COVID-19 disease severity Researchers at Yale University and other major institutions found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral loads in saliva are higher for patients with associated risk factors and underlying conditions that lead to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and death. Thus, saliva viral loads could be used to predict disease severity. The symptoms and severity of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2, differ widely among patients. Some patients are asymptomatic, while in others, the condition becomes severe, requiring medical intervention and can also lead to death. Severe manifestations of the disease have been mainly seen in older men who also have other diseases. In these cases, patients show a strong inflammatory response, and production of cytokines and chemokines. However, it is still not clear which factors affect disease severity and can explain the different cellular, immunological, and demographic parameters observed.