Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection and estimate viral shedding duration in respiratory specimens.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed from February 25 to March 25, 2020. In Kuwait, all suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, contacts of cases, and returning travelers were systematically tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. All infected persons, regardless of symptoms, were hospitalized and serially tested until they had two negative results. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were performed.

Results: Two hundred seven cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in this study. About half of the cases were asymptomatic and 1.9% died. The median time to negative RT-PCR was 22 days. Increasing age, ARDS, and low peripheral white blood cell count were associated with prolonged PCR positivity.

Conclusion: Predictors for prolonged RT-PCR positivity included increasing age, ARDS, and low white blood cell count. The findings of this study may aid in better understanding of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and molecular testing dynamics.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease-19; Epidemiology; Hospitalization; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2; Shedding.

Conflict of interest statement

J.P. has received consulting/honoraria fees from AbbVie, Cepheid, and Seegene and research grant funding outside of the current study from AbbVie, BD Diagnostics, Sanofi Pasteur, and MedImmune.