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. 2021 Jan;93(1):506-512.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26280. Epub 2020 Jul 15.

Duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding and factors associated with prolonged viral shedding in patients with COVID-19

Tong-Zeng Li  1 , Zhen-Huan Cao  1 , Yu Chen  2 , Miao-Tian Cai  1 , Long-Yu Zhang  1 , Hui Xu  1 , Jia-Ying Zhang  1 , Chun-Hua Ma  1 , Yang Liu  1 , Li-Juan Gao  1 , Zhong-Hui Duan  1 , Dan-Lei Mou  1 , Lian-Chun Liang  1
Affiliations

Duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding and factors associated with prolonged viral shedding in patients with COVID-19

Tong-Zeng Li et al. J Med Virol. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

To investigate the factors associated with the duration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA shedding in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A retrospective cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to a designated hospital in Beijing was analyzed to study the factors affecting the duration of viral shedding. The median duration of viral shedding was 11 days (IQR, 8-14.3 days) as measured from illness onset. Univariate regression analysis showed that disease severity, corticosteroid therapy, fever (temperature>38.5°C), and time from onset to hospitalization were associated with prolonged duration of viral shedding (P < .05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that fever (temperature>38.5°C) (OR, 5.1, 95%CI: 1.5-18.1), corticosteroid therapy (OR, 6.3, 95%CI: 1.5-27.8), and time from onset to hospitalization (OR, 1.8, 95%CI: 1.19-2.7) were associated with increased odds of prolonged duration of viral shedding. Corticosteroid treatment, fever (temperature>38.5°C), and longer time from onset to hospitalization were associated with prolonged viral shedding in COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; duration of viral shedding.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient screening and enrollment process. COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between maximum body temperature and DVS. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the groups. DVS, duration of viral shedding
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between the dose of methylprednisolone and DVS. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the groups. *P < .05, DVS, duration of viral shedding; ns, no statistical significance
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rate of undetectable SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA in patients during the first 20 days of illness. The Chi square test was used to compare the two groups at each time point. *P < .05. SARS‐CoV‐2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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