Prolonged shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in an elderly liver transplant patient infected by COVID-19: a case report.
Ann Palliat Med
; 10(6): 7003-7007, 2021 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-923003
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic gripped the globe. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and is susceptible to all populations. Immunosuppressed patients have greater risk for opportunistic infections. However, the understanding regarding the biological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 in immunosuppressed patients remains unclear. Herein, we present a case of prolonged shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in a liver transplant patient with COVID-19. A 61-year-old male post liver transplant was confirmed COVID-19 infection on day 10 of illness onset. The patient has received immunosuppressive treatment for over 11 years and has a history of hypertension for 10 years. With antiviral treatment and temporary discontinuation of tacrolimus immunosuppression, he had complete clinical symptoms relieve on day 24. However, recurrently positive tests of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were presented on day 35 and on day 39 after two consecutive negative tests. IgG antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 was positive with IgM negative on day 41. The final shedding duration lasted 52 days. Prolonged shedding of SARS-CoV-2 should be a matter of concern and might attribute to long-term immunosuppression. Therefore, dynamic surveillance and prolonged quarantine are required for immunocompromised individuals. Further data should be collected to investigate if there is a universal prolonged shedding window of SARS-CoV-2 in immunosuppressed patients.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Liver Transplantation
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Case report
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Ann Palliat Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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