Long-term SARS Coronavirus Excretion from Patient Cohort, China

Abstract

This study investigated the long-term excretion of severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus in sputum and stool specimens from 56 infected patients. The median (range) duration of virus excretion in sputa and stools was 21 (14–52) and 27 (16–126) days, respectively. Coexisting illness or conditions were associated with longer viral excretion in stools.

Keywords

• Dispatch
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome
• epidemiology
• cohort
• transmission
• diagnosis