Detection of the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and recurrence of infection symptoms in patients after a previous double negative result by RT-qPCR

Abstract

Introduction For over a year, the entire world has been struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The gold diagnostic standard is the detection of specific fragments of the virus genome using molecular biology techniques (RT-qPCR) performed during the most intensive replication, i.e. within 10 days of the onset of infection symptoms. The time needed to eliminate the virus from the system has not been precisely defined. Obtaining reactive results of RT-qPCR tests in people recognized as convalescent after the previous negative result of the molecular test is becoming an increasingly common problem. Case report We analyzed the case of a patient who had been discharged home without clinical symptoms, after obtaining two negative RT-qPCR results, which took place 23 days after confirming his infection. After 6 days from the date of discharge, the patient returned with symptoms typical of COVID-19 and obtained a positive RT-qPCR test result. Conclusions There may be many reasons for obtaining a reactive test result for the presence of coronavirus in the material from the body of a person considered to be convalescent. Clinical data is still being collected and research is ongoing. In addition to false-positive or false-negative results of the tests performed, it is assumed that the possible cause of this phenomenon may be the excretion of dead cells from the body that contain inactive virus particles, which may be a natural part of the healing process and is not infectious.

Keywords

• sars-cov-2
• re-detectable positive
• rt-qpcr
• detection
• recurrence
• covid-19