Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

March 13, 2020

Prolonged presence of SARS-CoV-2 in feces of pediatric patients during the convalescent phase

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  • Based on 3 pediatric cases of COVID-19 that were reported in Qingdao, China, the authors conclude that SARS-CoV-2 may exist in the gastrointestinal tract for a longer time than the respiratory system. Viral RNA remained detectable in stools of these 3 cases for 8-20 days after the nucleic acid tests turned out negative in the respiratory samples. 
  • The study highlights the need to implement strict hygiene measures in school settings and the need to be cautious while handling stool samples to minimize the potential viral transmission through fecal-oral route.  

Xing et al. (Mar 13, 2020). Prolonged presence of SARS-CoV-2 in feces of pediatric patients during the convalescent phase. Pre-print downloaded Mar 13 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.11.20033159