Temporal differences in culturable severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts in a patient with moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Citation

Jennifer M. Audsley, Natasha E. Holmes, Francesca L. Mordant, Celia Douros, Sara E. Zufan, Thi H.O. Nguyen, Lukasz Kedzierski, Louise C. Rowntree, Luca Hensen, Kanta Subbarao, Katherine Kedzierska, Suellen Nicholson, Norelle Sherry, Irani Thevarajan, Thomas Tran, Julian Druce

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, published online 10 May 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2021.223

Although infectivity from respiratory transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a well-recognized and evolving area, the role of fecal–oral transmission remains unclear and is a key area requiring further evaluation. SARS-CoV-2 shedding in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) occurs later than in the respiratory tract. Here, we report the first case of virus isolation from feces later than respiratory samples and the value of exploring the role of fecal–oral transmission as an underappreciated contributor to infection transmission.

Related Research Areas

  • Clinical research and infection prevention
  • Public health research
  • Laboratory research