A 79-year old Japanese woman was diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), based on a positive reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) test result. Chest computed tomography revealed mild interstitial pneumonia. She had intermittent persistent inflammatory reactions with fever. Laboratory findings and RT-PCR test results showed SARS-CoV-2 positivity for more than 70 days. To the best of our knowledge, this relatively mild case has the longest duration of viral shedding recorded, as confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. This case demonstrates that the viral shedding in COVID-19 can be prolonged, even in mild disease, and highlights the difficulties in distinguishing viral shedding from SARS-CoV-2 infectivity.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, viral shedding, Favipiravir, Infectivity, interstitial pneumonia, WHO standards, reverse transcriptase-PCR, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, knowledge, RT-PCR, reverse transcription-PCR, Computed tomography, Fever, Mild, Japanese, SARS Coronavirus, disease, RT-PCR test, SARS-CoV-2 positivity, inflammatory reaction, RT-PCR analysis, positive, highlight, caused, diagnosed, recorded, 【제목키워드】 Fever, prolonged viral shedding,