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The researchers suggested that people who show a severe Covid-19 infection could clear the virus and therefore be infectious for up to 20 days.
Whereas, the infection does not last more than 9 days in people with mild or no symptoms of the virus.
The review published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
A review of dozens of studies by researchers at Oregon Health and Science University and Oregon State University suggests that people can spread the virus for long periods of time.
This is 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.
“Detection of viral RNA may not correlate with infectivity, as available viral culture data suggest shorter durations of viable virus shed,” according to the authors. “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 OHSU School of Medicine.
“Despite the fact that people can spread the virus for a long period of time, 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,” Sikka said.
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 through a process called polymerase chain reaction or PCR.
“Although PCR positivity can be prolonged, culture data suggest that virus viability is typically shorter,” the authors added.
(This story was posted from a cable agency feed with no text changes.)
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