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Case Reports
Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in a young man recovering from traumatic pneumothorax.
- C N Umunnakwe, Z N Makatini, A Mdunyelwa, M Mphanga, M Nijhuis, A Wensing, and H A Tempelman.
- Ndlovu Laboratories, Elandsdoorn, Limpopo Province, South Africa; Ndlovu Research Consortium, Elandsdoorn, Limpopo Province, South Africa. cumunnakwe@ndlovu.com.
- S. Afr. Med. J. 2022 Feb 1; 112 (2): 13499.
AbstractWe describe a case of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in an HIV-negative 21-year-old man recovering from abdominal and thoracic trauma. Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs collected at 12 time points over a 95-day span all tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Genotyping revealed canonical beta-variant E484K and N501Y mutations at earlier time points. Human rhinovirus, coronavirus NL63 and respiratory syncytial virus B were detected at different time points by RT-PCR. Full blood analysis at time point 9 (day 82) showed leukopenia with lymphocytosis. The patient's NP swab tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR 101 days after the first positive test. The prolonged duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding in the context of trauma presented here is unique and has important implications for COVID-19 diagnosis, management and policy guidelines.
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