A Low Viral Dose in COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report

Yajuan Li; Xianwei Hu; Youhui Tu; Tao Wu; Bo Wang; Huan Ma; Weihong Zeng; Dan Zhao; Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist; Arnaud John Kombe Kombe; Meijuan Zheng; Yuanhong Xu; Tengchuan Jin; Tengchuan Jin; Tengchuan Jin

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00339

Frontiers in Public Health (Jun 2020)

A Low Viral Dose in COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report

Yajuan Li,
Xianwei Hu,
Youhui Tu,
Tao Wu,
Bo Wang,
Huan Ma,
Weihong Zeng,
Dan Zhao,
Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist,
Arnaud John Kombe Kombe,
Meijuan Zheng,
Yuanhong Xu,
Tengchuan Jin,
Tengchuan Jin,
Tengchuan Jin

Affiliations

Yajuan Li: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Xianwei Hu: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Youhui Tu: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Tao Wu: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Bo Wang: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Huan Ma: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Weihong Zeng: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Dan Zhao: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Arnaud John Kombe Kombe: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Meijuan Zheng: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Yuanhong Xu: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Tengchuan Jin: Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Tengchuan Jin: Division of Molecular Medicine, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Tengchuan Jin: CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00339
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8

Abstract

Read online

SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has attracted global attention. Verifying the presence of viral RNA is the gold standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19. However, RT-qPCR diagnosis often fails to catch infected patients, because of inconsistent swab sample collection. Here we report a case that showed 5 consecutive negative and 1 low-viral- dose RT-qPCR results during illness spanning over 20 days. Clinical symptoms suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection with typical ground glass like a lung in computed tomography. SARS-CoV-2 infection was serologically confirmed by the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in patients' serum. Finally, a high level of protective IgG was produced after the patient recovered. Surprisingly, as a barber and a housewife staying at home for the first 2 weeks after the onset of illness, none of the close contacts were infected, showing a case of low viral load and low infectivity in this patient.

Published in Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN: 2296-2565 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords