Follow-up Study of Long-time Positive RT-PCR in Stool Specimens From Asymptomatic Children Infected With SARS-CoV-2

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2020 Oct;39(10):e315-e317. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002837.

Abstract

In the current study, we report on 4 children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which 3 of them were asymptomatic. These patients had both pharyngeal swabs and anal swabs testing during hospital or after discharge. All the 4 children showed long-time positive viral RNA in the stool specimens after pharyngeal swabs turned negative during the follow-up stage, especially in the asymptomatic children. The positive RNA in stool specimens of asymptomatic children last for more than 54 days after admission or 30 days after discharge.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Asymptomatic Infections*
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Feces / virology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pandemics
  • Pharynx / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • RNA, Viral