COVID-19: Prolonged virus shedding even after seroconversion
COVID-19: Prolonged virus shedding even after seroconversion. Jefferson T Heneghan C.
https://www.cebm.net/study/covid-19-prolonged-virus-shedding-even-after-seroconversion/
Published on August 11, 2020
Included in
Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19
| Reference |
Liu W-D, Chang S-Y, Wang J-T, Tsai M-J, Hung C-C, Hsu C-L, et al. Prolonged virus shedding even after seroconversion in a patient with COVID-19. J Infect. 2020;81(2):318-56. 2020 |
| Study type |
|
| Country |
Taiwan (traveller from Wuhan) |
| Setting |
Community |
| Funding Details |
Non reported |
| Transmission mode |
Droplets |
| Exposures |
Travel |
Bottom Line
A 50 year old woman continued to shed live virus until day 18 and non viable virus until day 63 from symptom onset.
Evidence Summary
The study is a letter to the editor reporting the case of a 50 year old woman traveller from Wuhan to Taipei who became symptomatic after 2 days, excreted live virus in sputum for 18 subsequent days and non viable viruses until day 63.
Serial RT-PCR results in this case highlight the importance of the clinical specimens sampled from lower respiratory tract for detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus.
What did they do?
The study is case report undated.
Study reliability
A single case report requires replication.
| Clearly defined setting |
Demographic characteristics described |
Follow-up length was sufficient |
Transmission outcomes assessed |
Main biases are taken into consideration |
|
Unclear |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes
|
No |
What else should I consider?
This case report requires replication. Although culture was performed viral load (ct) was not quantified.
About the authors
Carl Heneghan
Carl is Professor of EBM & Director of CEBM at the University of Oxford. He is also a GP and tweets @carlheneghan. He has an active interest in discovering the truth behind health research findings
Tom Jefferson
Tom Jefferson, epidemiologist.
