Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban . Clinical characteristics of 16 patients with fecal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleic acid-positive

[tetano]

Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban


. 2020 May 28;45(5):560-564.
doi: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2020.200230.
Clinical characteristics of 16 patients with fecal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleic acid-positive


[Article in En, Chinese]

Yan Zhou ¹ , Zhiquan Xiao ² , Dong Chen ³ , Jing Guan ³ , Zhiguo Zhou ⁴ , Huirong Zhang ⁵ , Huanfa Zhou ⁶



Affiliations

• PMID: 32879107
• DOI: 10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2020.200230

Abstract

in En , Chinese
Objectives: To analyze the clinical characteristics of fecal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid-positive in patients with coronavirus dasease 2019 (COVID-19) and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of this disease.
Methods: The clinical data of 16 patients with fecal SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid positive, who hospitalized in the North Branch of the First Hospital of Changsha (Changsha Public Health Rescue Center) from January to February 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical manifestations, laboratory data and imaging data were summarized.
Results: Among the 16 patients, there were 9 males (56.25%) and 7 females (43.75%), the ratio of males to females was 1∶1.29. The age of onset was (43.3?14.6) years. There were 15 patients with contact history of Wuhan, 1 patient with contact history of local patient.Twelve patients were common type (75%), and 4 patients were severe type (25%). Clinical symptoms included fever in 14 patients (87.5%), cough in 12 patients (75%), shortness of breath in 5 patients (31.25%), pharyngalgia in 10 patients (62.5%), fatigue in 7 patients (43.75%), and diarrhea in 4 patients (25%). There were 14 patients (87.5%) with normal or decreased white blood cell count, 11 patients (68.75%) with decreased lymphocyte count, 15 patients (93.75%) with increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 13 patients (81.25%) with increased hypersensitivity C-reactive protein, 5 patients (31.25%) with increased procalcitonin, and 8 patients (50%) with increased serum ferritin in peripheral blood, and stool routine was basically normal. Compared with the common type, there was significant difference in the white blood cell and lymphocyte counts in the severe type (P<0.01); the infection indicators, such as hypersensitivity C-reactive protein and serum ferritin, were significantly increased, with significant difference (all P<0.01); but the procalcitonin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was not significantly different (both P>0.05). Chest CT mainly showed patchy shadows and interstitial changes. According to imaging examination, 4 patients (25%) showed unilateral pneumonia and 12 patients (75%) showed bilateral pneumonia.
Conclusions: The patients have the clinical symptoms of COVID-19, but gastrointestinal symptoms (such as diarrhea) are more common, and the changes of white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, hypersensitivity C-reactive protein, ferritin are more obvious in severe patients.The positivity of fecal nucleic acid suggests the possibility of digestive tract transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and fecal nucleic acid testing can be used as a routine testing method in clinical practice.

Keywords: coronavirus disease 2019; digestive tract transmission; fecal; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.