SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Characteristics and Viral Shedding in Kuwait

SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Characteristics and Viral Shedding in Kuwait

Objectives: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection and estimate viral shedding duration in respiratory specimens. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed from February 25 to March 25, 2020. In Kuwait, all suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical principles and practice Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 93 - 97
Main Authors: Alghounaim, Mohammad, Caya, Chelsea, Alothman, Khalid, Alhasawi, Almonther, Papenburg, Jesse
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01-03-2022
Subjects:
Age
Asymptomatic
Brief Report
Cell culture
COVID-19
Disease transmission
Funding
Infections
Longitudinal studies
Patients
Pneumonia
Public health
Quarantine
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Writing
Kuwait
Basel Switzerland
Switzerland
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2
Shedding
Hospitalization
Coronavirus disease-19
Epidemiology
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Summary:Objectives: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection and estimate viral shedding duration in respiratory specimens. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed from February 25 to March 25, 2020. In Kuwait, all suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, contacts of cases, and returning travelers were systematically tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. All infected persons, regardless of symptoms, were hospitalized and serially tested until they had two negative results. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were performed. Results: Two hundred seven cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in this study. About half of the cases were asymptomatic and 1.9% died. The median time to negative RT-PCR was 22 days. Increasing age, ARDS, and low peripheral white blood cell count were associated with prolonged PCR positivity. Conclusion: Predictors for prolonged RT-PCR positivity included increasing age, ARDS, and low white blood cell count. The findings of this study may aid in better understanding of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and molecular testing dynamics.
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ISSN:1011-7571
1423-0151
DOI:10.1159/000521408