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World J Clin Cases
. 2021 Apr 26;9(12):2816-2822.
doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i12.2816.
Positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay results in patients recovered from COVID-19: Report of two cases
Ke-Xin Huang 1 , Cheng He 1 , Yan-Li Yang 1 , Di Huang 2 , Zhi-Xia Jiang 2 , Bang-Guo Li 1 , Heng Liu 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 33969064
- PMCID: PMC8058663
- DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i12.2816
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the globe. On February 28, 2020, the World Health Organization adjusted the risk of spread and impact of COVID-19 to "very high" at the global level. Studies have mainly focused on the etiology, epidemiology, and treatment of COVID-19 to limit further spread and the negative impact of the disease, while less attention has been devoted to the follow-up and reexamination of patients who recovered from COVID-19 or were released from quarantine.
Case summary: This study reports two cases where patients who had negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results and met the criteria for discharge subsequently had positive RT-PCR test results. The clinical manifestations and computed tomography (CT) findings of these patients were examined. The conversion of RT-PCR test results in these two patients may be related to false-negative and false-positive outcomes of the test. CT images helped track improvement of pulmonary lesions.
Conclusion: The timing of discharge of COVID-19 patients should be determined by comprehensive analysis of CT images and RT-PCR test results.
Keywords: COVID-19; Case report; False negative; Recovery; Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2.