Discharged COVID‐19 patients testing positive again for SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA: A minireview of published studies from China
Year: 2020
Type: review
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.
Source: Journal of Medical Virology
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26250
Institutions: Seton Hall University, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W3038768039