Your browser doesn't support javascript.
Real Time PCR and Culture-Based Virus Isolation Test in Clinically Recovered Patients: Is the Subject Still Infectious for SARS-CoV2?
Manzulli, Viviana; Scioscia, Giulia; Giganti, Giulio; Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria; Lacedonia, Donato; Pace, Lorenzo; Cipolletta, Dora; Tondo, Pasquale; De Nittis, Rosella; Rondinone, Valeria; Serrecchia, Luigina; Parisi, Antonio; Galante, Domenico; Lo Caputo, Sergio; Santantonio, Teresa Antonia; Moschetta, Damiana; Dattoli, Vitangelo; Fasanella, Antonio; Foschino Barbaro, Maria Pia.
  • Manzulli V; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Scioscia G; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Giganti G; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Capobianchi MR; Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "L. Spallanzani", 00149 Roma, Italy.
  • Lacedonia D; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Pace L; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Cipolletta D; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Tondo P; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • De Nittis R; Clinical Pathology Department, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Rondinone V; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Serrecchia L; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Parisi A; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Galante D; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Lo Caputo S; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital "Policlinico Riuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Santantonio TA; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital "Policlinico Riuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Moschetta D; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Dattoli V; University Hospital "Policlinico Riuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
  • Fasanella A; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
  • Foschino Barbaro MP; Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital "PoliclinicoRiuniti", 71122 Foggia, Italy.
J Clin Med ; 10(2)2021 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1031141
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The highly variable manifestation of the COVID-19 disease, from completely asymptomatic to fatal, is both a clinical and a public health issue. The criteria for discharge of hospitalized patients have been based so far on the negative result of Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests, but the persistence of viral fragments may exceed that of the integral virus by weeks. The aim of our study was to verify the clearance of the virus at viral culture in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 that have clinically recovered but are still positive on nasopharyngeal swab.

METHODS:

The study was conducted in hospitalized patients with positive RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swab. Patients included were from asymptomatic to severe cases and performed nasopharyngeal control swabbing on day 14 for asymptomatic patient or at least three days after remission of symptoms. RT-PCR positive specimens were sent to a biosafety level 3 laboratory for viral culture.

RESULTS:

We performed a combined analysis of RT-PCR and a highly sensitive in vitro culture from 84 samples of hospitalized patients. The average age was 46 ± 20.29, and 40.5% of the subjects had radiologically confirmed pneumonia, with average PaO2 of 72.35 ± 12.12and P/F ratio of 315 ± 83.15. Ct values for the N gene were lower in the first swab than in the control one (p < 0.001). The samples from 83 patients were negative at viral culture, and RT-PCR on the respective supernatants always confirmed the absence of viral growth.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our preliminary results demonstrate that patients clinically recovered for at least three days show the viral clearance at viral culture, and presumably they continued to not be contagious.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Jcm10020309

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Jcm10020309