Study revealing that SARS-COV-2 was found in the lung fluid of a woman who tested negative three times and then died suddenly after discharge. They argue that negative swab-tests may not reflect the situation of SARS-COV-2 in the lungs are therefore some patients testing negative may still be positive.
“By using comprehensive means including electron microscopy and IHC staining, we revealed remaining (sic) of SARS-CoV-2 in the lung from the ready-for-discharge patient, which raises a possibility that nasopharyngeal swab negative result might not reflect the virus in lung tissue.”
Some background:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0318-5
“By using comprehensive means including electron microscopy and IHC staining, we revealed remaining (sic) of SARS-CoV-2 in the lung from the ready-for-discharge patient, which raises a possibility that nasopharyngeal swab negative result might not reflect the virus in lung tissue.”
Some background:
A 78-year-old woman was admitted to hospital on January 27, 2020, due to falling-resulted trauma. This patient reported that she had been exposed to a COVID-19 patient on January 25th. Since January 29th, the patient showed pneumonia symptoms (Supplementary information, Fig. S1a). On Feburary 2nd, the patient was confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive by nasopharyngeal swab—PCR test followed by treatment (Supplementary information, Fig. S1a). On Feburary 3rd, chest scan by computerized tomography (CT) showed multiple patchy shadows in both lungs, implying pulmonary infection (Supplementary information, Fig. S1b). From Feburary 8th to 10th, three consecutive PCR tests on nasopharyngeal swab samples indicated SARS-CoV-2 negative (Supplementary information, Fig. S1a). From Feburary 11th to 13th, the patient’s condition was significantly improved, and CT examination showed absorption of pulmonary exudation (Supplementary information, Fig. S1a, b). Accordingly, the patient was ready for discharge. On Feburary 14th, however, this patient fell suddenly into fatal condition with cardiac arrest, and died unfortunately. Clinical labs oratory test information was summarized in Supplementary information, Table S1, which revealed that the patient had lymphopenia, a frequent symptom for COVID-19 patients.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0318-5
