Rectally shed SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 inpatients is consistently lower than respiratory shedding and lacks infectivity.
Clin Microbiol Infect
; 28(2): 304.e1-304.e3, 2022 Feb.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1509693
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Assessment of whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been propagated during intestinal passage and infectivity is conserved when shed rectally by hospitalized individuals.METHODS:
An exploratory cohort study including 28 inpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 with estimation of RNA levels by RT-PCR and of viral infectivity by culturing of viral material sampled concomitantly and identically from pharynx and rectum.RESULTS:
SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected more frequently (91%, 30/33 versus 42%, 14/33, p <0.0001) and at higher concentrations (median levels 2 190 186 IU/mL versus 13 014 IU/mL, p <0.0001) in the pharyngeal swabs than in the rectal swabs. For all sample pairs (n = 33) the rectal swabs contained undetectable or lower SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations than their paired pharyngeal swabs. Replicative virus was found in 37% (11/30) of the PCR-positive pharyngeal swabs, whereas none of the PCR-positive rectal swabs could be cultured (0%, 0/14) despite containing SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations up to 1 544 691 IU/mL.CONCLUSIONS:
Our data draw into question whether SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted readily from faeces.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Clin Microbiol Infect
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
/
Microbiology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.cmi.2021.10.023
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