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A review of dozens of studies by researchers at Oregon Health and Science University and Oregon State University suggests that people can shed the virus for long periods of time, but those with little or no symptoms can be infectious for no more than 10 days.
People who are seriously ill from COVID-19 can be infectious for up to 20 days.
That’s in line with the guidance provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which confirms the recommendations on the length of time that people should isolate the next SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The review was published in the journal Infection control and hospital epidemiology.
“Detection of viral RNA may not correlate with infectivity, as the available viral culture data suggest shorter durations of shedding of viable viruses,” the authors write. “Additional data are needed to determine the duration of shedding of the viable virus and the implications for the risk of transmission.”
The researchers decided to conduct the review to learn more about transmission and to help inform infection control practices, said co-author Monica Sikka, MD, assistant professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at the OHSU School of Medicine.
Although people can spread the virus for an extended period, the studies we reviewed indicated that the live virus, which can predict infectivity, was only detected for up to nine days in people who had mild symptoms. “
Monica Sikka, MD, study co-author and assistant professor, Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), College of Medicine, Oregon Health and Sciences University
The researchers identified 77 studies worldwide, including 59 that had been peer-reviewed, and reviewed the results. All studies reported assessments of viral shedding using standard methods to identify the virus by replicating it using a process called polymerase chain reaction or PCR.
“Although PCR positivity may be prolonged, culture data suggest that virus viability is typically shorter in duration,” the authors write.
Source:
Oregon Health and Science University
Magazine reference:
Fontana, L., et al. (2020) Understanding the viral shedding of SARS-CoV-2: review of the current literature. Infection control and hospital epidemiology. doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.1273.
