key: cord-0895286-t8jmc3a5
authors: Wang, Guan; Yu, Na; Xiao, Weimin; Zhao, Chen; Wang, Zhenning
title: Consecutive false‐negative rRT‐PCR test results for SARS‐CoV‐2 in patients after clinical recovery from COVID‐19
date: 2020-06-17
journal: J Med Virol
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26192
sha: 6207928f82110533ff91570e3d7e9b8e59784c26
doc_id: 895286
cord_uid: t8jmc3a5

This study reviewed the serial rRT‐PCR results of 37 patients admitted to our hospital in Wuhan, China, who had three or more sequential negative results prior to discharge. Of these 37 patients, 14 (~38%) had a positive rRT‐PCR result after a negative result during convalescence, and 5 (~14%) had a positive rRT‐PCR result after two consecutive negative results during convalescence. These results suggest that it may be necessary to require that patients have three consecutive negative results prior to discharge, to ensure that they do not spread infection among members of their household, or in the community. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it is not currently the standard of care to require patients to have three consecutive negative results prior to discharge. Our results suggest that a relatively high proportion of patients may continue to shed SARS‐CoV‐2 after they have clinically recovered, and thus may transmit the infection to others. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

consecutive negative results are considered to be no longer shedding the virus and can be discharged. 5 However, some recovered patients have been retested positive after two negative test results, 6, 7 leading to concerns that two consecutive negative results might be unreliable. This study aimed to determine the reliability of two consecutive rRT-PCR tests.

The study protocol was approved by the Ethics of Committees of The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University and the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. The requirement for informed consent was waived because the study was based on a retrospective review of medical records.

We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive patients with laboratory- 

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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John's Hopkins university medicine. Coronavirus resource center

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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The authors would like to express their deepest appreciation to all nurses and doctors in the medical assistance team from The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, as well as the staff in the Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, for their efforts against the epidemic.

Accepted Article