Discharged COVID-19 patients testing positive again for SARS-CoV-2 RNA: A minireview of published studies from China.
J Med Virol
; 93(1): 262-274, 2021 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1206785
ABSTRACT
In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one potential cause of concern is that some discharged COVID-19 patients are testing positive again for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA. To better understand what is happening and to provide public health policy planners and clinicians timely information, we have searched and reviewed published studies about discharged patients testing positive again for the SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Our search found 12 reports, all of which described patients in China. Our review of these reports indicates the presence of discharged patients who remain asymptomatic but test positive. However, it is unclear whether they are contagious because a positive reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) test does not necessarily indicate the presence of replicating and transmissible virus. Our review suggests the need for timely, parallel testing of different samples, including, for example, fecal specimens, from COVID-19 patients before and after they are discharged from hospitals.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
RNA, Viral
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
J Med Virol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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