[ad_1]
FRIDAY, Oct. 30, 2020 — A new study by Italian researchers finds that almost 17% of patients who fully recover from COVID-19 may still have the virus in follow-up screening.
Those who have ongoing respiratory symptoms, especially sore throat and stuffy nose or congestion (rhinitis), are more likely to have a positive follow-up test, suggesting that these symptoms shouldn’t be discounted in patients who recover from COVID-19, the researchers said.
“Clinicians and researchers have focused on the acute phase of COVID-19, but continued monitoring after discharge for long-lasting effects is needed,” said researcher Dr. Francesco Landi, from Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic and Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome.
For the study, Landi’s team looked at 131 COVID-19 patients who stopped quarantining at least two weeks before a follow-up visit. Among these patients, nearly 17% tested positive at follow-up, the researchers found.
Although symptoms such as fatigue (51%), labored breathing (44%) and coughing (17%) were still present in some patients, there were no significant differences between people with a positive or negative follow-up test.
There was a significantly higher likelihood of testing positive in patients with persistent sore throat (18% versus 4%) and rhinitis (27% versus 2%), the researchers found.
The report was published recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
“Our findings indicate that a noteworthy rate of recovered patients with COVID-19 could still be asymptomatic carriers of the virus,” Landi said in a journal news release. “The main question for the containment of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic infection that still needs to be answered is whether persistent presence of virus fragments means the patient is still contagious.
“A positive swab test can reveal if patients are still shedding viral fragments, but it is not able to discern whether they are or aren’t infectious,” Landi added.
The researchers recommend that patients who continue to have symptoms related to COVID-19 should be cautious and avoid close contact with others, wear a face mask and possibly take additional tests.

© 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted: October 2020
Further Support and Information on COVID-19
[ad_2]
Source link
- COVID case rates hit new high for England, study finds - April 7, 2022
- Govt’s focus on affordable healthcare ensured significant savings for poor, middle class: PM Modi - April 7, 2022
- SRL Diagnostics and Skye Air Mobility collaborate to transport pathology samples using drone logistics - April 6, 2022
- Healthineers sets up new production line of CT scanners in Bengaluru under PLI scheme - April 6, 2022
- Lupin inks licensing pact with Alvion to market drugs in Southeast Asia - April 6, 2022
- Yoga Mahotsav: Ayush Ministry to organise event to demonstrate common yoga on World Health Day - April 6, 2022
- LordsMed forays into the medtech space with launch of health ATMs ‘Lords Sehat’ - April 5, 2022
- ‘Friendly viruses’ can be the next big thing in the history of medical research and more - April 5, 2022
- No setback to Bharat Biotech even as WHO suspends Covaxin UN supply: Sources - April 4, 2022
- Govt panel recommends Serum’s Covovax dose for kids aged 12 and above - April 4, 2022