Samrah Shaher M, Al-Mistarehi Abdel-Hameed, Kewan Tariq, Al-Khatib Sohaib M, Ibnian Ali M, Samrah Randa S, Khassawneh Basheer Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
J Multidiscip Healthc. 2021 Mar 4;14:555-565. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S302891. eCollection 2021.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) viral course and behavior remain unpredictable. This study describes incubation time and viral clearance of COVID-19 hospitalized cases in Northern Jordan.
All COVID-19 confirmed cases hospitalized from March 15 to June 09, 2020, were included. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected, and COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed every two days in all cases. The viral cure was defined when two negative RT-PCR tests were obtained ≥ 24 hours apart. Viral clearance time (VCT) reflects the time from the first positive nasopharyngeal swab to the first of two consecutive negative tests.
In this cohort, a total of 157 patients were included. Most cases resulted from two major outbreaks. The median incubation period was 6 days (IQR, 3-10) and ranged from 1 to 17 days. The median VCT was 13 days (IQR, 7-2) and ranged from 1 to 40 days. Symptomatic presentation and abnormal chest radiograph were predictors for a prolonged VCT (=0.015 and =0.014, respectively). The median time of resolution of symptoms was 7 days (IQR, 3-10 days). Most symptomatic cases (91.7%) remained RT-PCR positive for up to 20 days after symptoms resolution, with a median of 13.5 days. VCT significantly correlated with the incubation period (=0.013).
Viral cure lagged for as long as 20 days after resolution of symptoms. Continuing with social-distancing, frequent hand hygiene, and wearing facial mask remains essential and is recommended even after clinical resolution of symptoms.
2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的病毒病程和行为仍然不可预测。本研究描述了约旦北部COVID-19住院病例的潜伏期和病毒清除情况。
纳入2020年3月15日至6月9日期间所有COVID-19确诊住院病例。采集鼻咽拭子，所有病例每两天进行一次COVID-19逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测。当两次RT-PCR检测结果均为阴性且间隔≥24小时时，定义为病毒治愈。病毒清除时间（VCT）反映从首次鼻咽拭子阳性到连续两次阴性检测中的第一次的时间。
该队列共纳入157例患者。大多数病例源于两次主要疫情爆发。中位潜伏期为6天（四分位间距，3 - 10天），范围为1至17天。中位VCT为13天（四分位间距，7 - 2天），范围为1至40天。有症状表现和胸部X线异常是VCT延长的预测因素（分别为P=0.015和P=0.014）。症状缓解的中位时间为7天（四分位间距，3 - 10天）。大多数有症状病例（91.7%）在症状缓解后长达20天RT-PCR仍为阳性，中位时间为13.5天。VCT与潜伏期显著相关（P=0.013）。
症状缓解后病毒治愈延迟长达20天。继续保持社交距离、勤洗手和佩戴口罩仍然至关重要，即使在临床症状缓解后也建议如此。
