Author response to: Comment on: SARS-Cov-2 in peritoneal fluid: an important finding in the Covid-19 pandemic

Editor

We thank Tartaglia et al. for their interest in our report on SARS-CoV-2 in peritoneal fluid. We read with interest their paper¹, really well described from the methodological point of view; in particular, the quantitative and not only qualitative evaluation of the presence of viral RNA in the samples taken is very interesting.

Following the rapid spread of the COVID19 pandemic, many reports have been written in last months, even with conflicting results^2–4. The presence of the SARS-Cov-2 virus in the peritoneal fluid, if confirmed by further studies with greater statistical power, undoubtedly has heavy repercussions both on the choice of the best surgical techniques and in the use of PPE for surgical teams.

Probably, also from a prudential point of view, we must give more credit to the papers that demonstrate the presence of the virus in the peritoneal fluid, thus considering the reports in which the virus was not found in the peritoneal fluid, in patients confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, as false negatives.

We consider particularly important to observe what is recommended in the most recent evidence⁵, ensuring that, also thanks to scientific societies, it's spread everywhere; it's also necessary that the various health services acquire the necessary equipment, recognizing the protection of health workers and patients as an investment.

Finally, we also believe that, to better define the real repercussions of the viral presence in the peritoneal fluid, a swab is carried out on the peritoneal fluid in all positive patients, as soon as the peritoneum is opened, and that the data collected globally are shared in future multicenter studies.