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Viral dynamics in asymptomatic patients with COVID-19.
Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Jul; 96:288-290.IJ

Abstract

Data are limited on the viral load, viral shedding patterns, and potential infectivity of asymptomatic patients (APs) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study included 31 adult patients who were virologically confirmed to have COVID-19 but were asymptomatic on admission. Among these 31 patients, 22 presented symptoms after admission and were defined as asymptomatic patients in the incubation period (APIs); the other nine patients remained asymptomatic during hospitalization and were defined as asymptomatic patients (APs). The median cycle threshold (Ct) value of APs (39.0, interquartile range (IQR) 37.5-39.5) was significantly higher than that of APIs (34.5, IQR 32.2-37.0), indicating a lower viral load in APs. However, the duration of viral shedding remained similar in the two groups (7 days, IQR 5-14 days vs. 8 days, IQR 5-16 days). The study findings demonstrated that although APs with COVID-19 have a lower viral load, they still have certain period of viral shedding, which suggests the possibility of transmission during their asymptomatic period. Further longitudinal surveillance of these asymptomatic cases via virus nucleic acid testing are warranted.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Zhou R
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Li F
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Chen F
Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou 510000, China.
Liu H
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Zheng J
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Lei C
Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou 510000, China. Electronic address: gz8hlcl@126.com.
Wu X
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. Electronic address: wuxb1010@smu.edu.cn.

MeSH

AdultAsymptomatic InfectionsBetacoronavirusCOVID-19Coronavirus InfectionsHumansPandemicsPneumonia, ViralSARS-CoV-2Viral LoadVirus Shedding

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32437933

Citation

Zhou, Rui, et al. "Viral Dynamics in Asymptomatic Patients With COVID-19." International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, vol. 96, 2020, pp. 288-290.
Zhou R, Li F, Chen F, et al. Viral dynamics in asymptomatic patients with COVID-19. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;96:288-290.
Zhou, R., Li, F., Chen, F., Liu, H., Zheng, J., Lei, C., & Wu, X. (2020). Viral dynamics in asymptomatic patients with COVID-19. International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 96, 288-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.030
Zhou R, et al. Viral Dynamics in Asymptomatic Patients With COVID-19. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;96:288-290. PubMed PMID: 32437933.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Viral dynamics in asymptomatic patients with COVID-19. AU - Zhou,Rui, AU - Li,Furong, AU - Chen,Fengjuan, AU - Liu,Huamin, AU - Zheng,Jiazhen, AU - Lei,Chunliang, AU - Wu,Xianbo, Y1 - 2020/05/11/ PY - 2020/04/26/received PY - 2020/05/06/revised PY - 2020/05/07/accepted PY - 2020/5/22/pubmed PY - 2020/7/29/medline PY - 2020/5/22/entrez KW - Asymptomatic patients KW - COVID-19 KW - Viral load KW - Viral shedding SP - 288 EP - 290 JF - International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases JO - Int J Infect Dis VL - 96 N2 - Data are limited on the viral load, viral shedding patterns, and potential infectivity of asymptomatic patients (APs) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study included 31 adult patients who were virologically confirmed to have COVID-19 but were asymptomatic on admission. Among these 31 patients, 22 presented symptoms after admission and were defined as asymptomatic patients in the incubation period (APIs); the other nine patients remained asymptomatic during hospitalization and were defined as asymptomatic patients (APs). The median cycle threshold (Ct) value of APs (39.0, interquartile range (IQR) 37.5-39.5) was significantly higher than that of APIs (34.5, IQR 32.2-37.0), indicating a lower viral load in APs. However, the duration of viral shedding remained similar in the two groups (7 days, IQR 5-14 days vs. 8 days, IQR 5-16 days). The study findings demonstrated that although APs with COVID-19 have a lower viral load, they still have certain period of viral shedding, which suggests the possibility of transmission during their asymptomatic period. Further longitudinal surveillance of these asymptomatic cases via virus nucleic acid testing are warranted. SN - 1878-3511 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32437933/Viral_dynamics_in_asymptomatic_patients_with_COVID_19_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -