Persistently positive PCR after COVID-19. How to diagnose reinfections?

e202206044

Authors

  • Valle Coronado-Vázquez Grupo B21-20R. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS). Zaragoza. España. / Centro de Salud Las Cortes. Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Madrid. España. / Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. Madrid. España.
  • Mª del Valle Ramírez-Durán Universidad de Extremadura. Plasencia (Cáceres). España.
  • Celia García Aragón Centro de Salud de Illescas. Servicio de Salud de Castilla La Mancha. Toledo. España.
  • Juan Gómez-Salgado Área de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública. Universidad de Huelva. Huelva. España. / Universidad Espíritu Santo. Guayaquil. Ecuador.

Keywords:

Coronavirus, COVID-19, PCR Persistently positive

Abstract

Persistence of a long-term positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in patients with severe coronavirus-associated respiratory syndrome may interfere with the diagnosis of reinfections, causing false positives of the disease, with the potential implications to determine the need for isolation and, consequently, for Public Health.

In these field notes we present the experience of a patient with positive PCR of eight months of evolution to which an erroneous diagnosis of COVID-19 reinfection was made due to a gastrointestinal disease, resulting in a Campylobacter jejuni infection.

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References

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Published

2022-06-01 — Updated on 2022-06-01

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1.
Coronado-Vázquez V, Ramírez-Durán M del V, García Aragón C, Gómez-Salgado J. Persistently positive PCR after COVID-19. How to diagnose reinfections? e202206044. Rev Esp Salud Pública [Internet]. 2022 Jun. 1 [cited 2024 Nov. 16];96:5 páginas. Available from: https://ojs.sanidad.gob.es/index.php/resp/article/view/364

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