Yanfei He1, Yu-Chao Dong2. 1. Department of Cadre Health Care, Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. 2. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: There have been reports on re-detectable positive nucleic acid tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in recovered coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. In this study, we look at the clinical characteristics, possible causes, pathogenesis, and infectivity of re-detectable positive patients and provide up-to-date information to public health policy planners and clinicians. METHODS: By consulting the latest research data and related progress data of re-detectable positive patients, this study addresses the implications that this special group brings to clinical work and disease prevention and control. RESULTS: We discuss in detail the phenomenon of re-detectable positive nucleic acid tests for recovered patients. There are many possible causes of a re-detectable positive, but there is no 1 factor that can fully explain this phenomenon. CONCLUSIONS: It can't be completely ruled out that the re-detectable positive patients are infectious. We should be alert to these re-detectable positive patients becoming chronic virus carriers, and virus serological IgM and IgG antibody tests should be added before patient discharge. It is urgent to find a more powerful evidence-based and virological basis for the integrity of viral ribonucleic acid and the variation of viral virulence with time through cell experiments in vitro and animal experiments in vivo.
OBJECTIVES: There have been reports on re-detectable positive nucleic acid tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in recovered coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. In this study, we look at the clinical characteristics, possible causes, pathogenesis, and infectivity of re-detectable positive patients and provide up-to-date information to public health policy planners and clinicians. METHODS: By consulting the latest research data and related progress data of re-detectable positive patients, this study addresses the implications that this special group brings to clinical work and disease prevention and control. RESULTS: We discuss in detail the phenomenon of re-detectable positive nucleic acid tests for recovered patients. There are many possible causes of a re-detectable positive, but there is no 1 factor that can fully explain this phenomenon. CONCLUSIONS: It can't be completely ruled out that the re-detectable positive patients are infectious. We should be alert to these re-detectable positive patients becoming chronic virus carriers, and virus serological IgM and IgG antibody tests should be added before patient discharge. It is urgent to find a more powerful evidence-based and virological basis for the integrity of viral ribonucleic acid and the variation of viral virulence with time through cell experiments in vitro and animal experiments in vivo.
Authors: A A Al Qahtani; A M Bin Rasheed; A Al Abood; Mohie E Selim; A K Al Khalifah; A Aurkmany; A Al-Odayani; M C Te Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2022-06-30