| Title | The Positive Rhinovirus/Enterovirus Detection and SARS-CoV-2 Persistence beyond the Acute Infection Phase: An Intra-Household Surveillance Study. | ||
| Author | Brotons, Pedro; Jordan, Iolanda; Bassat, Quique; Henares, Desiree; Fernandez de Sevilla, Mariona; Ajanovic, Sara; Redin, Alba; Fumado, Vicky; Baro, Barbara; Claverol, Joana; Varo, Rosauro; Cuadras, Daniel; Hecht, Jochen; Barrabeig, Irene; Garcia-Garcia, Juan Jose; Launes, Cristian; Munoz-Almagro, Carmen | ||
| Journal | Viruses | Publication Year/Month | 2021-Aug |
| PMID | 34452462 | PMCID | PMC8402816 |
| Affiliation + expend | 1.Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Deu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain. | ||
We aimed to assess the duration of nasopharyngeal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA persistence in adults self-confined at home after acute infection; and to identify the associations of SARS-CoV-2 persistence with respiratory virus co-detection and infection transmission. A cross-sectional intra-household study was conducted in metropolitan Barcelona (Spain) during the time period of April to June 2020. Every adult who was the first family member reported as SARS-CoV-2-positive by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as well as their household child contacts had nasopharyngeal swabs tested by a targeted SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and a multiplex viral respiratory panel after a 15 day minimum time lag. Four-hundred and four households (404 adults and 708 children) were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 137 (33.9%) adults and 84 (11.9%) children. Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (RV/EV) was commonly found (83.3%) in co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 in adults. The mean duration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence in adults\' nasopharynx was 52 days (range 26-83 days). The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 was significantly associated with RV/EV co-infection (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 9.31; 95% CI 2.57-33.80) and SARS-CoV-2 detection in child contacts (aOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.24-3.51). Prolonged nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence beyond the acute infection phase was frequent in adults quarantined at home during the first epidemic wave; which was associated with RV/EV co-infection and could enhance intra-household infection transmission.