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Case Reports
. 2021 Feb;27(2):648-650.
doi: 10.3201/eid2702.204632. Epub 2020 Dec 8.

Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an Oropharyngeal Swab Specimen, Milan, Italy, Early December 2019

Antonella Amendola, Silvia Bianchi, Maria Gori, Daniela Colzani, Marta Canuti, Elisa Borghi, Mario C Raviglione, Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti, Elisabetta Tanzi
Case Reports

Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an Oropharyngeal Swab Specimen, Milan, Italy, Early December 2019

Antonella Amendola et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

We identified severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in an oropharyngeal swab specimen collected from a child with suspected measles in early December 2019, ≈3 months before the first identified coronavirus disease case in Italy. This finding expands our knowledge on timing and mapping of novel coronavirus transmission pathways.

Keywords: COVID-19; Italy; Milan; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 RNA; coronavirus disease; oropharyngeal swab; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; skin manifestations; viruses; zoonoses.

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