Abstract
The knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) shedding is highly relevant to We diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2919). Deep nasopharyngeal swabs repeatedly collected from a cohort of one hundred patients with COVID-19 were tested for SARS CoV 2 DNA using RT-PCR (real time polyrnerase chain reaction).
The median period of viral genome detectability was 15 days. Furthermore, the authors tested the hypothesis on the relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and the period in which the viral genome is detectable.
They did not find any statistically significant difference in the duration of viral clearance between patients with asymptomatic to mild disease or severe disease.