Proper Assignation of Reactivation in a COVID-19 Recurrence Initially Interpreted as a Reinfection. (9th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pérez-Lago, Laura; Martínez-Lozano, Helena; Pajares Díaz, Jose Antonio; Díaz Gómez, Arantxa; Machado, Marina; Sola-Campoy, Pedro J; Herranz, Marta; Buenestado-Serrano, Sergio; Valerio, Maricela; Olmedo, María; Andrés Zayas, Cristina; Comas, Iñaki; González Candelas, Fernando; Bañares, Rafael; Catalán, Pilar; Muñoz, Patricia; García de Viedma, Darío
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 224:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 788
• Page End: 792
• Publication Date: 2021-06-09
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- nosocomial transmission -- reactivation -- SARS-CoV-2 -- WGS; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab302
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: A 77-year-old man (case R) with previous diagnosis of a mild COVID-19 episode was hospitalized 35 days later. On day 23 postadmission, he developed a second COVID-19 episode, now severe, and finally died. Initially, case R's COVID-19 recurrence was interpreted as a reinfection due to the exposure to a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR–positive roommate. However, whole-genome sequencing indicated that case R's recurrence corresponded to a reactivation of the strain involved in his first episode. Case R's reactivation had major consequences, leading to a more severe episode, and causing subsequent transmission to another 2 hospitalized patients, 1 of them with fatal outcome.