[A Case of COVID-19 Pneumonia in an 83-year-old Woman Living with a Suspected SARS-CoV-2 Carrier, Who Repeatedly Tested Negative by the PCR Test]

ABSTRACT

The patient, an 83-year-old woman, lived with her daughter, at whose workplace, a person had been diagnosed as having COVID-19. The daughter was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia, however, the results of the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 performed twice were negative. The patient developed fever a few days later, and visited an outpatient clinic for patients with fever and a history of travel abroad. The result of a nasal swab PCR test was negative, and antibiotics were prescribed. While the fever gradually subsided, the patient began to experience dyspnea. Therefore, she visited the outpatient clinic again for a repeat nasal swab test. Meanwhile, the dyspnea became severe and she was transported to our hospital. Immediately after admission, she was intubated and initiated on mechanical ventilation. A nasal swab and a specimen of lower respiratory tract secretions were submitted for COVID-19 testing by PCR, and while the nasal swab test result was negative again, the lower respiratory tract specimen yielded a positive result�E�EThe possibility of false-negative results of PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 should be borne in mind in close contacts or strongly suspected cases of COVID-19. PCR testing of specimens of lower respiratory tract secretions might be necessary for suspected cases of COVID-19 pneumonia.