Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

September 17, 2020

Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Detection and Reversed RT-PCR Results in Mild or Asymptomatic Patients

Category:

Topic:

Keywords (Tags):

  • Many people with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 (n=300) had prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA positivity with intermittent negative tests in a study in Korea. 23% had SARS-CoV-2 detected more than 3 weeks after the initial positive RT-PCR test, and 14% had positive results for more than 4 weeks. Overall, 37% (152/405) of negative results were positive or indeterminate in the next day’s test, and 43% (123/283) of negative results were followed by a positive or indeterminate result within 3 weeks of diagnosis.

Kim et al. (Sept 16, 2020). Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Detection and Reversed RT-PCR Results in Mild or Asymptomatic Patients. Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2020.1820076