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Prolonged presence of viral nucleic acid in clinically recovered COVID-19 patients was not associated with effective infectiousness.
Hong, Ke; Cao, Wei; Liu, Zhengyin; Lin, Ling; Zhou, Xing; Zeng, Yan; Wei, Yuan; Chen, Li; Liu, Xiaosheng; Han, Yang; Ruan, Lianguo; Li, Taisheng.
  • Hong K; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Cao W; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Liu Z; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Lin L; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Zhou X; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Zeng Y; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Wei Y; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Chen L; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Liu X; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Han Y; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Ruan L; Department of Infectious Diseases, Jin Yin-tan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Li T; Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Emerg Microbes Infect ; 9(1): 2315-2321, 2020 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-799338
ABSTRACT
Prolonged presence of viral nucleic acid was reported in certain patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with unclear clinical and epidemiological significance. We here described the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 37 recovered COVID-19 patients with prolonged presence of viral RNA in Wuhan, China. For those who had been discharged and re-admitted, their close contacts outside the hospital were traced and evaluated. The median age of the 37 patients was 62 years (IQR 50, 68), and 24 (64.9%) were men. They had common or severe COVID-19. With prolonged positive RT-PCR, most patients were clinically stable, 29 (78.4%) denied any symptoms. A total of 431 PCR tests were carried out, with each patient at a median of 8 time points. The median time of PCR positivity to April 18 was 78 days (IQR 67.7, 84.5), and the longest 120 days. 22 of 37 patients had been discharged at a median of 44 days (IQR 22.3, 50) from disease onset, and 9 had lived with their families without personal protections for a total of 258 person-days and no secondary infection was identified through epidemiological investigation, nucleic acid and antibody screening. Infectiousness in COVID-19 patients with prolonged presence of viral nucleic acid should not solely be evaluated by RT-PCR. Those patients who have clinically recovered and whose disease course has exceeded four weeks were associated with very limited infectiousness. Reconsideration of disease control in such patients is needed.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pneumonia, Viral / RNA, Viral / Coronavirus Infections / Betacoronavirus Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Aged / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: English Journal: Emerg Microbes Infect Year: 2020 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pneumonia, Viral / RNA, Viral / Coronavirus Infections / Betacoronavirus Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Aged / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: English Journal: Emerg Microbes Infect Year: 2020 Document Type: Article