Clinical characteristics and viral shedding kinetics of 38 asymptomatic patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A retrospective observational study.
Medicine (Baltimore)
; 99(51): e23547, 2020 Dec 18.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1010676
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics and viral shedding kinetics of asymptomatic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).The data of 38 asymptomatic patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid were collected from February to March 2020 in Tuanfeng County, Huanggang, Hubei, China. The epidemiology, laboratory examination, chest imaging, viral nucleic acid test results, clinical characteristics, and viral shedding time were summarized in this retrospective study.The study included 20 family members of patients with COVID-19, 10 medical personnel participating in COVID-19 treatment or working in a fever clinic, 6 personnel from quarantine places, 1 individual with a close contact history with confirmed patients, and 1 local epidemic prevention personnel. All were positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid. The white blood cell (WBC) count, the absolute value of lymphocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), and D-dimer were normal. Pneumonia manifestations were not found in the chest computed tomography (CT) scan of 36 patients; the remaining 2 cases included a 1-year-old child and a pregnant woman, and they did not undergo chest CT. The viral shedding time was 6 days.All asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 had a history of close contact or exposure. Laboratory tests were normal. Chest imaging did not show any pneumonia manifestation. The viral shedding time was <10 days, which is shorter than that of patients with COVID-19. A timely discovery of such asymptomatic infections is crucial for blocking the spread of the virus and strengthening the prevention and control measures.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Virus Shedding
/
Asymptomatic Infections
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Traditional medicine
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Medicine (Baltimore)
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
MD.0000000000023547
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