Abstract In recent months, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a major public health crisis with takeover more than 1 million lives worldwide. The long-lasting existence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has not yet been reported. Herein, we report a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection with intermittent viral polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive for >4 months after clinical rehabilitation. A 35-year-old male was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia with fever but without other specific symptoms. The treatment with lopinavir-ritonavir, oxygen inhalation, and other symptomatic supportive treatment facilitated recovery, and the patient was discharged. However, his viral PCR test was continually positive in oropharyngeal swabs for >4 months after that. At the end of June 2020, he was still under quarantine and observation. The contribution of current antivirus therapy might be limited. The prognosis of COVID-19 patients might be irrelevant to the virus status. Thus, further investigation to evaluate the contagiousness of convalescent patients and the mechanism underlying the persistent existence of SARS-CoV-2 after recovery is essential. A new strategy of disease control, especially extending the follow-up period for recovered COVID-19 patients, is necessary to adapt to the current situation of pandemic.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, Case report, convalescence, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, pandemic, therapy, Prognosis, Pneumonia, quarantine, SARS-COV-2 infection, oxygen, public health crisis, novel coronavirus disease, virus, Symptoms, symptomatic, oropharyngeal swab, Fever, male, PCR test, disease, mechanism, convalescent patient, Lopinavir-ritonavir, Recovered COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 patient, observation, acute respiratory syndrome, Supportive treatment, follow-up period, contagiousness, positive, polymerase chain, evaluate, reported, the patient, facilitated, long-lasting, discharged, clinical rehabilitation, diagnosed with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 persistent, COVID-19 patient, CHB,