Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected more than 100 countries worldwide and the discharge criteria of patients with COVID-19 vary across different countries. In China, patients with two negative respiratory viral RNA tests taken at least one day apart can be discharged with no further quarantine required. Currently, PCR testing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in fecal sample is not routinely performed.
Methods: We present a patient with COVID-19, whose respiratory swabs became negative but fecal sample remained positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
Results: Stool sample collected on 27th of February was still positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, 24 days after the first negative respiratory swab.
Conclusions: Based on the experience from the 2003 SARS epidemic, we recommend that fecal RNA testing of SARS-CoV-2 should be incorporated into the discharge criteria to minimize the risk of transmission from the gastrointestinal tract.

DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2020.200623