J Med Virol . Prolonged fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in a young immunocompetent COVID-19 patient: a case report and literature overview

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J Med Virol


. 2022 Mar 10.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.27694. Online ahead of print.
Prolonged fecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in a young immunocompetent COVID-19 patient: a case report and literature overview


Fang Xiao ¹ , Peiqi Wan ¹ , Qiuling Wei ² , Guiyang Wei ² , Yanhong Yu ¹



Affiliations

• PMID: 35274321
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27694

Abstract

Clinicians are facing several challenges in tackling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); one issue is prolonged detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Here, we describe a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a young immunocompetent patient with a virological course lasting for 71 days. Following antiviral treatment, but no additional glucocorticoid or interferon therapy, the patient recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia (moderate). Detection of viral RNA via throat swabs showed negative results. However, the viral RNA reappeared and persisted in stool samples for an additional 27 days, while the patient remained asymptomatic and exhibited no abnormal signs. This case indicates that SARS-CoV-2 can result in a prolonged fecal RNA shedding, even in an immunocompetent patient with zero exposure to immunosuppressive therapies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; immunocompetent; prolonged viral RNA shedding.