ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Protection against SARS-CoV-2 in infected individuals of COVID-19 is lacking. We report a case series of repeated infections of SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: A total of 12 patients were identified with repeated infections for SARS-CoV-2 from 25 April 2020 to 16 March 2021 from Pakistan. Repeated infection was defined as diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests in the first and second phase of infection after complete recovery from the first phase of infection with a negative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Of the 12 participants, 75% (n=9) were male and mean age of the participants were 40.1±9.7 years. Mean duration between the first and second phase of infection was 184±68.9 days. Patients presenting with mild infection in the first phase largely developed moderate to severe infection in the second phase. None of them were vaccinated. CONCLUSION: The pandemic of COVID-19 is on the rise and repeated infection from SARS-CoV-2 is occurring.
ABSTRACT
Little is known about the pathophysiology and immunology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is not yet clear whether SARS-CoV-2 infection produces long-term immune protection, or a short-lived immunity that would fade with the passage of time. We report a first case of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in second wave from Pakistan. A 41-year-old male, health care worker developed flu-like illness, tested positive on 6th June 2020 and became PCR negative on 19th June 2020 with reactive antibodies. After 4 months and 13 days of negative PCR, he developed symptoms again and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with non-reactive antibodies.