Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2021 Jan:39:256.e1-256.e3.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.06.079. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Is novel coronavirus 2019 reinfection possible? Interpreting dynamic SARS-CoV-2 test results

Nicole M Duggan  1 , Stephanie M Ludy  2 , Bryant C Shannon  3 , Andrew T Reisner  4 , Susan R Wilcox  5
Affiliations
Case Reports

Is novel coronavirus 2019 reinfection possible? Interpreting dynamic SARS-CoV-2 test results

Nicole M Duggan et al. Am J Emerg Med. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Since December 2019, COVID-19, the clinical syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has infected more than 6.2 million people and brought the function of the global community to a halt. As the number of patients recovered from COVID-19 rises and the world transitions toward reopening, the question of acquired immunity versus the possibility of reinfection are critical to anticipating future viral spread. Here, we present a case of a patient previously recovered from COVID-19 who re-presents with new respiratory, radiographical, laboratory, and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) findings concerning for possible re-infection. We review this case in the context of the evolving discussion and theories surrounding dynamic RT-PCR results, prolonged viral shedding, and the possibility of developed immunity. Understanding how to interpret dynamic and late-positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results after primary infection will be critical for understanding disease prevalence and spread among communities worldwide.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Reinfection; Viral shedding.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) 2020. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-a... Website. [Accessed May 26, 2020]
    1. Zhu N., Zhang D., Wang W., et al. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. 2020 Feb 20;382(8):727–733. - PMC - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization Clinical Management of severe acute respiratory infection when COVID-19 is suspected: Interim guidance. https://www.who.int/publications-detail/clinical-management-of-severe-ac... 13 March 2020.Website.
    1. Chen D., Xu W., Lei Z., et al. Recurrence of positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA in COVID-19: a case report. Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Apr;93:297–299. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Smith J. South Korea reports more recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-southkorea/south-k... Retrieved May 24, 2020, from.

Publication types