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Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection
. 2021 Feb 8:jiab075. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab075

Long term SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness among three immunocompromised patients: from prolonged viral shedding to SARS-CoV-2 superinfection

Hassan Tarhini 1,, Amélie Recoing 2,3, Antoine Bridier-Nahmias 3, Mayda Rahi 1, Céleste Lambert 4, Pascale Martres 5, Jean-Christophe Lucet 3,6, Christophe Rioux 1, Donia Bouzid 3,7, Samuel Lebourgeois 2,3, Diane Descamps 2,3, Yazdan Yazdanpanah 1,3, Quentin Le Hingrat 2,3, François-Xavier Lescure 1,3, Benoit Visseaux 2,3,
PMCID: PMC7928754  PMID: 33556961

Abstract

Guidelines for stopping COVID-19 patient isolation are mainly symptom-based, with isolation for 10 to 20 days depending on their condition. Here, we describe three deeply immunocompromised patients, each with different clinical evolutions. Asymptomatic carriage, symptom resolution, or superinfection with a second SARS-CoV-2 strain were observed, all leading to prolonged infectious viral shedding several months. We followed the patients epidemiological, clinical, serological data, infectiousness using viral culture and viral mutations accumulated over time. Understanding underlying mechanisms and frequency of prolonged infectiousness is crucial to adapt current guidelines and strengthen the use of systematic PCR testing before stopping isolation in immunocompromised populations.

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Isolation, Viral Shedding, Immunocompromised patients


Articles from The Journal of Infectious Diseases are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

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