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. 2020 Dec;9(1):991-993.
doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1760144.

Isolation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 from urine of a COVID-19 patient

Jing Sun  1 , Airu Zhu  1 , Heying Li  2 , Kui Zheng  3 , Zhen Zhuang  1 , Zhao Chen  1 , Yongxia Shi  3 , Zhaoyong Zhang  1 , Si-Bei Chen  1 , Xuesong Liu  1 , Jun Dai  3 , Xiaobo Li  3 , Shuxiang Huang  3 , Xiaofang Huang  1 , Ling Luo  1 , Liyan Wen  1 , Jianfen Zhuo  1 , Yuming Li  1 , Yanqun Wang  1 , Lu Zhang  1   4 , Yanjun Zhang  1 , Fang Li  1 , Liqiang Feng  2 , Xinwen Chen  2 , Nanshan Zhong  1 , Zifeng Yang  1 , Jicheng Huang  3 , Jincun Zhao  1   4 , Yi-Min Li  1
Affiliations

Isolation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 from urine of a COVID-19 patient

Jing Sun et al. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 caused a major outbreak of severe pneumonia (COVID-19) in humans. Viral RNA was detected in multiple organs in COVID-19 patients. However, infectious SARS-CoV-2 was only isolated from respiratory specimens. Here, infectious SARS-CoV-2 was successfully isolated from urine of a COVID-19 patient. The virus isolated could infect new susceptible cells and was recognized by its' own patient sera. Appropriate precautions should be taken to avoid transmission from urine.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; transmission; urine; virus isolation.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Clinical information and isolation of SARS-CoV-2 from a patient’s urine. (A) Clinical events. (B) Cytopathic effect (CPE) were observed in Vero E6 cells that were infected with SARS-CoV-2 isolate after 72 h but not in mock-infected cells. (C) Visualization of viral particles using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). (D) Viral loads in respiratory and urine specimens. OS: oropharyngeal swab. (E) SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgM antibody responses in patient. (F) IFA detection of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 using patient’s serum. No fluorescence was detected using healthy control serum or in mock-infected cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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