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. 2020 Sep;81(3):452-482.
doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.06.030. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Should qualitative RT-PCR be used to determine release from isolation of COVID-19 patients?

Karl Krupp  1 , Purnima Madhivanan  2 , Carlos M Perez-Velez  3
Affiliations

Should qualitative RT-PCR be used to determine release from isolation of COVID-19 patients?

Karl Krupp et al. J Infect. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

  1. •

    COVID-19 patients may have persistently positive RT-PCRs for as many as 9 weeks.

  2. •

    Some are being required to continue in isolation until they have negative results.

  3. •

    SARS-CoV-2 qualitative RT-PCR does not distinguish infectious from noninfectious.

  4. •

    Quantitative RT-PCRs and immunoassays are better markers of infectivity period.

  5. •

    Social isolation can have economic, physical, psychological, and social effects.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Infectivity; Patient Isolation; Polymerase chain reaction (PCR); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Social Isolation; Socioeconomic Impact; Virus Shedding.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None

Comment in

References

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