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?:abstract
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The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health crisis, causing social and economic disasters in many countries In China, two-consecutive negative results of nucleic acid tests for SARS-CoV-2 from the respiratory samples are required to end the quarantine of COVID-19 patients However, clinicians face a dilemma in case of patients with long-term viral shedding This report described an unusual COVID-19 case who had persistent viral RNA positivity for more than 4 months after initial illness in the presence of low neutralizing antibodies, but without prolonged clinical symptoms Multiple anti-viral drug treatments had no impact and there was no evidence of re-infection When the patient was self-quarantined at home, no infection occurred to the three family members living with her for 15 to 19 days Sputum viral culture in BSL-3 laboratory on the 102 (nd) day after symptom onset was negative From the 129 (th) day on, 8 continuous nucleic acid tests of sputum samples showed negative results The patient was discharged on 137 (th) days since symptom onset In conclusion, viral RNA shedding in the sputum of the COVID-19 patient may last over 4 months As no evidence shows the existence of infectious virus, two-consecutive negative nucleic acid tests may not be the prerequisite for ending quarantine of COVID-19 patients with prolonged viral shedding
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