Project description:Limited knowledge about the contagiosity and case fatality rate of COVID-19 as well as the still enigmatic route of transmission have led to strict limitations of non-emergency health care especially in head and neck medicine and dentistry. There are theories that the oral cavity provides a favorable environment for SARS-CoV-2 entry and persistence which may be a risk for prolonged virus shedding. However, intraoral innate immune mechanisms provide antiviral effects against a myriad of pathogenic viruses. Initial hints of their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 are surfacing. It is hypothesized that intraoral immune system activity modulates the invasion pattern of SARS-CoV-2 into oral cells. Thus, the significance of intraoral tissues for SARS-CoV-2 transmission and persistence cannot be assessed. The underlying concept for this hypothesis was developed by the critical observation of a clinically asymptomatic COVID-19 patient. Despite a positive throat swab for SARS-CoV-2, molecular pathologic analysis of an oral perisulcular tissue specimen failed to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA. More research effort is necessary to define the true origin of the contagiosity of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.
Project description:BackgroundThe ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains a major threat to public health. At present, it is recommended that patients with known or suspected COVID-19 undergo quarantine or medical observation for 14 days. However, recurrent SARS-CoV-2 RNA positivity and prolonged viral shedding have been documented in convalescent COVID-19 patients, complicating efforts to control viral spread and ensure patient recovery.Case presentationWe report the case of a patient who experienced two recurrent episodes of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and IgM positivity and viral shedding over 60 days during hospitalization.ConclusionsThis case report demonstrates that relapses of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and IgM positivity may occur even after COVID-19 symptoms have resolved, possibly as a consequence of prolonged viral shedding rather than re-infection.
Project description:Clinicians are facing several challenges in tackling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); one issue is prolonged detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA. Here, we describe a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a young immunocompetent patient with a virological course lasting for 71 days. Following antiviral treatment, but no additional glucocorticoid or interferon therapy, the patient recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia (moderate). Detection of viral RNA via throat swabs showed negative results. However, the viral RNA reappeared and persisted in stool samples for an additional 27 days, while the patient remained asymptomatic and exhibited no abnormal signs. This case indicates that SARS-CoV-2 can result in a prolonged fecal RNA shedding, even in an immunocompetent patient with zero exposure to immunosuppressive therapies.
Project description:Patients on B cell immunosuppressive treatments have been shown to have persistent infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this report, a woman treated with ibrutinib for chronic lymphocytic leukemia experienced more than 40 days of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Unexpectedly, her peripheral blood experiments showed a normal SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody level and a relatively elevated percentage of CD19 + B cells, while an obvious decrease in the percentages of NK cells, CD4 + T cells and CD8 + T cells. Further SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell analysis in this patient indicated a significant decrease in the percentage of SARS-CoV-2-specific IFN-γ, TNF-α or IL-2 producing CD4 + T or CD8 + T cells. Most notably, ten days after the cease of ibrutinib, the PCR for SARS-CoV-2 turned negative and the reduced proportions of peripheral CD4 + T cells and CD8 + T cells recovered. Our research predicted that the depleted B-cell function therapies may play considerable role in the development of long COVID-19 and the abnormal T-cell subset distribution might be the underlying mechanism.
Project description:Immunocompromised patients who have a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection pose many clinical and public health challenges. We describe the case of a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patient with lymphoma who had a protracted illness requiring three consecutive hospital admissions. Whole genome sequencing confirmed two different SARS-CoV-2 clades. Clinical management issues and the unanswered questions arising from this case are discussed.
Project description:BackgroundThe duration of viable Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) shedding in immunocompromised patients is still unknown. This case report describes the duration of viable SARS-CoV-2 in two immunocompromised patients with completely different clinical courses and further addresses the immunological aspects.Case presentationsOropharyngeal swaps were collected continuously during hospitalization for two immunocompromised patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and sent for analysis to real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), viral culture assessed by plaque assay and full genome sequencing. Blood samples for flow cytometry and further immunological analysis were taken once during admission. One patient was without symptoms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) whereas the other had severe respiratory symptoms requiring a stay at an intensive care unit (ICU) and treatment with remdesivir and dexamethasone. Despite their difference in clinical courses, they both continuously shed SARS-CoV-2 with high viral loads in culture. Both patients had undetectable anti SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels about 2 weeks after the first positive real time RT-PCR test of SARS-CoV-2, marked expansions of virus reactive CD8+ T cells but cellular markers indicative of attenuated humoral immunity.ConclusionsOur case illustrates the importance of distinguishing isolation guidelines for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 according to their immunological status. Furthermore, it demonstrates the need for immune markers relating to viral shedding in immunocompromised patients.
Project description:We report a therapy cat in a nursing home in Germany infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 during a cluster outbreak in the home residents. Although we confirmed prolonged presence of virus RNA in the asymptomatic cat, genome sequencing showed no further role of the cat in human infections on site.