An Italian study found that a proportion of subjects considered to have recovered from Covid-19 still carried the virus. This prompted its authors to recommend that people recently recovered from the disease avoid close contact with those around them, wear a mask and undergo additional tests.
A significant proportion of patients considered to be cured still carrying the virus
As part of the work presented in the journal American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a team of scientists from Fondazione Policlinico Universitario, in Italy, followed more than a hundred patients recovered from Covid-19. And it turned out that almost 16.7% of them tested positive for the virus again. ” Our research indicates that a significant proportion of patients cured of Covid-19 may still be asymptomatic carriers of the virus », Note Francesco Landi, lead author of the study.
The researchers also found that patients who continued to have respiratory symptoms, especially sore throats and rhinitis, after their recovery were also more likely to test positive again. ” While clinicians and researchers have focused on the acute phase of Covid-19, these results show the need to continue monitoring its longer-term effects after leaving hospital », Considers in particular Landi.
The 131 patients assessed by Italian scientists fulfilled all the criteria set by theWHO so that they can be considered healed. Involving in particular that they have not suffered from fever for at least 72 hours, present an improvement in their general state of health and any symptoms related to the Covid-19, as well as two negative test results PCR for the virus SARS-CoV-2, performed at least 24 hours apart.
Persistent symptoms in a significant number of people
The team did not observe any significant differences between patients who tested positive and those who tested negative, in terms of age, sex, time since disease onset, number of days of hospitalization or treatment received. However, it was found that certain symptoms including fatigue (51%), labored breathing (44%) and cough (17%) were still present in a significant number of subjects.
” The question that still needs to be answered to contain the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is whether the persistent presence of fragments of the virus means patients are still contagious », Note Landi. ” The RT-PCR test looks for small fragments of viral RNA. A positive swab can reveal whether patients continue to shed virus fragments, but it is not able to discern whether or not they are infectious.. “
Although no positive cases were recorded in the entourage of patients who tested positive again, suggesting low infectivity, the authors of the study encourage people considered to be cured to continue to apply barrier gestures (social distancing, wearing a mask, washing your hands regularly, etc.).