Skip to main content
. 2021 Feb 15;18(4):269–283. doi: 10.1038/s41575-021-00416-6

Table 3.

Summary of patients with SARS-CoV-2-positive faecal or rectal swabs

Author Region Number of patients with positive stool/rectal swab sample Duration of positive infection (days) Patients with positive stool/rectal sample after negative respiratory system samples Duration after positive respiratory system samples (days)
Adult patients
Lin et al.72 Guangzhou, China 46/217 (21.2%) 3–18 30/46 (65.2%) 3–15
Ling et al.73 Shanghai, China 54/66 (81.8%) 9–16a 43/55 (78.2%) 1–4
Cheung et al.15 Hong Kong, China 9/59 (15.3%) Data collection on presentation NA NA
Kujawski et al.74 USA 7/12 (58.3%) 1–12 1/7 (14.3%) 1
Lo et al.75 Macau, China 9/9 (100%) 1–18 1/9 (11.1%) 6
Young et al.76 Singapore 4/8 (50%) 1–7 1/4 (25%) 5
Paediatric patients
Hua et al.77 Zhejiang, China 32/35 (91.4%) NA 18/35 (51.4%) on discharge >70 days in one child since illness onset
Han et al.78 Seoul, Korea 11/12 (91.6%) 80% positive >3 weeks NA NA
Xu et al.79 Guangzhou, China 8/10 (80%) 3–28a 8/8 (100%) 3–30a
Liu et al.80 Shanghai, China 8/9 (89%) 28–66 8/8 (100%) 14–52
Cai et al.81 China 5/6 (83.3%) 18–30a 5/5 (100%) 11–18
Xing et al.82 Qingdao, China 3/3 (100%) 6–30 3/3 (100%) 8–20
No distinction made
Wu et al.83 Zhuhai, China 41/74 (55.4%) 1–39 32/41 (78%) 1–33
Xiao et al.59 Guangzhou, China 39/73 (53.4%) 1–12a 17/39 (43.6%) NA
Chen et al.84 Wuhan, China 28/42 (66.7%) 1–21a 18/28 (64.3%) 6–10
Kim et al.85 Korea 8/15 (53.3%) 1–7 2/8 (25%) 3–9

This is a table with selected studies; studies that were published before 1 Aug 2020, sample size ≥3, and proportion and duration of positive virus in the stool of the patients with COVID-19 were selected. NA, not available; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. aSome patients remain positive at last follow-up.