Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Re-Detected on PCR Test after Discharge from Isolation

Abstract

There have been multiple reports of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after discharge; however, information on the characteristics of such cases is limited. In this case report, we aimed to identify clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients who had a repeat positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed data of 22 COVID-19 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing after two consecutive negative PCR results following discharge from hospitals. The interval between the two positive tests in the episodes of COVID-19 ranged from 4 to 117 days. More than one-third of the cases were healthcare workers (HCWs) and one-third of them had comorbidities. The main symptoms were cough and fever, and we noticed that males experienced more symptoms and signs of COVID-19 than females. Individuals with repeat SARS-CoV-2 positivity tend to experience milder illness during the second episode than the first episode. To confirm the reinfection of SARS-CoV-2, the results of other tests, such as viral culture and immunological assays of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), need to be considered. Recovered COVID-19 patients should continue social distancing, using face masks, and practicing hand hygiene, especially HCWs who are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

Laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 cases from nasal and oropharyngeal swab specimens

“…Furthermore, diagnostic tests involving hematological parameters, such as blood gas analysis and inflammatory biomarkers, can also support the test results. 11, 12 RT-PCR examination is generally used because of its high sensitivity. Previous studies showed that RT-PCR examination using oropharyngeal and nasal specimens had a sensitivity of up to 94.2% and 88.9%, respectively, with a specificity of up to 100%.…”