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, ...