International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Apr 2023)
High titers of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in corpses of patients with COVID-19
- Hisako Saitoh,
- Yuko Sakai-Tagawa,
- Sayaka Nagasawa,
- Suguru Torimitsu,
- Kazumi Kubota,
- Yuichiro Hirata,
- Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto,
- Ayumi Motomura,
- Namiko Ishii,
- Keisuke Okaba,
- Kie Horioka,
- Hiroyuki Abe,
- Masako Ikemura,
- Hirofumi Rokutan,
- Munetoshi Hinata,
- Akiko Iwasaki,
- Yoichi Yasunaga,
- Makoto Nakajima,
- Rutsuko Yamaguchi,
- Shigeki Tsuneya,
- Kei Kira,
- Susumu Kobayashi,
- Go Inokuchi,
- Fumiko Chiba,
- Yumi Hoshioka,
- Aika Mori,
- Isao Yamamoto,
- Kimiko Nakagawa,
- Harutaka Katano,
- Shun Iida,
- Tadaki Suzuki,
- Shinji Akitomi,
- Iwao Hasegawa,
- Tetsuo Ushiku,
- Daisuke Yajima,
- Hirotaro Iwase,
- Yohsuke Makino,
- Yoshihiro Kawaoka
Affiliations
- Hisako Saitoh
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Corresponding author: Tel: 81-43-226-2078; Fax: 81-43-226-2079.
- Yuko Sakai-Tagawa
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Sayaka Nagasawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Suguru Torimitsu
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Kazumi Kubota
- Department of Healthcare Information Management, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- Yuichiro Hirata
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Ayumi Motomura
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Legal Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
- Namiko Ishii
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Legal Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
- Keisuke Okaba
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Legal Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
- Kie Horioka
- Department of Legal Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
- Hiroyuki Abe
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Masako Ikemura
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Hirofumi Rokutan
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Munetoshi Hinata
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Yoichi Yasunaga
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Makoto Nakajima
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Rutsuko Yamaguchi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Shigeki Tsuneya
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Kei Kira
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Susumu Kobayashi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Go Inokuchi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Fumiko Chiba
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Yumi Hoshioka
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Aika Mori
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Isao Yamamoto
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Yokosuka, Japan; Public Interest Incorporated Association Nihon Kousei-Kyoukai, Yokosuka, Japan
- Kimiko Nakagawa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Yokosuka, Japan; Public Interest Incorporated Association Nihon Kousei-Kyoukai, Yokosuka, Japan
- Harutaka Katano
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Shun Iida
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Tadaki Suzuki
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Shinji Akitomi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Japan Medical Association Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Iwao Hasegawa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Yokosuka, Japan; Public Interest Incorporated Association Nihon Kousei-Kyoukai, Yokosuka, Japan
- Tetsuo Ushiku
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Daisuke Yajima
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Legal Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
- Hirotaro Iwase
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Yohsuke Makino
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Yoshihiro Kawaoka
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Center for Global Viral Diseases, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 129
pp. 103 – 109
Abstract
Objectives: The prolonged presence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in deceased patients with COVID-19 has been reported. However, infectious virus titers have not been determined. Such information is important for public health, death investigation, and handling corpses. The aim of this study was to assess the level of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in the corpses of patients with COVID-19. Methods: We collected 11 nasopharyngeal swabs and 19 lung tissue specimens from 11 autopsy cases with COVID-19 in 2021. We then investigated the viral genomic copy number by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and infectious titers by cell culture and virus isolation. Results: Infectious virus was present in six of 11 (55%) cases, four of 11 (36%) nasopharyngeal swabs, and nine of 19 (47%) lung specimens. The virus titers ranged from 6.00E + 01 plaque-forming units/ml to 2.09E + 06 plaque-forming units/g. In all cases in which an infectious virus was found, the time from death to discovery was within 1 day and the longest postmortem interval was 13 days. Conclusion: The corpses of patients with COVID-19 may have high titers of infectious virus after a long postmortem interval (up to 13 days). Therefore, appropriate infection control measures must be taken when handling corpses.
