Detectable SARS-CoV-2 in blood and anal swab
Detectable SARS-CoV-2 in blood and anal swab. Heneghan C
https://www.cebm.net/study/detectable-sars-cov-2-in-blood-and-anal-swab/
Published on July 30, 2020
Included in
Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19
| Reference |
Chen W, Lan Y, Yuan X, et al. Detectable 2019-nCoV viral RNA in blood is a strong indicator for the further clinical severity. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020;9(1):469-473. Published 2020 Feb 26. doi:10.1080/22221751.2020.1732837 |
| Study type |
|
| Country |
China |
| Setting |
Hospital |
| Funding Details |
National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant and by the National Science and Technology Major Project. |
| Transmission mode |
Orofecal |
| Exposures |
|
Bottom Line
SARs-CoV-2 RNA was readily detected in the blood (6/57 patients) and anal swabs (11/28 patients).
Evidence Summary
11 of 28 cases were anal swab positive, 8 (73%) had severe symptoms. The concentration of viral RNA in the anal swab (Ct value = 24 + 39) was higher than in the blood (Ct value = 34 + 39) in one patient
What did they do?
All patients had pneumonia-based diseases but with diversified clinical and analyzed the PCR data of virus detection in different tissues.
Study reliability
They did not collect stool samples from patients and did not pursue viral RNA in the stool.
| Clearly defined setting |
Demographic characteristics described |
Follow-up length was sufficient |
Transmission outcomes assessed |
Main biases are taken into consideration |
|
Yes |
Partly |
Yes |
Yes
|
Yes |
What else should I consider?
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
