@article{fdi:010081532,
  title = {{SARS}-{C}o{V}-2 persistent viral shedding in the context of hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin treatment},
  author = {{D}rancourt, {M}. and {C}ortaredona, {S}{\'e}bastien and {M}elenotte, {C}. and {A}mrane, {S}. and {E}ldin, {C}. and {L}a {S}cola, {B}. and {P}arola, {P}. and {M}illion, {M}. and {L}agier, {J}. {C}. and {R}aoult, {D}. and {C}olson, {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{SARS}-{C}o{V}-2 nasopharyngeal shedding contributes to the spread of the {COVID}-19 epidemic. {A}mong 3271 {COVID}-19 patients treated at the {H}ospital {U}niversity {I}nstitute {M}editerranee {I}nfection, {M}arseille, {F}rance from 3 {M}arch to 27 {A}pril 2020, tested at least twice by q{RT}-{PCR}, the median {SARS}-{C}o{V}-2 nasopharyngeal shedding duration was 6 days (range 2-54 days). {C}ompared with short shedders (q{RT}-{PCR} positivity < 10 days), 34 (1.04%) persistent shedders (q{RT}-{PCR} positivity >= 17 days; mean +/- {SD}: 23.3 +/- 3.8 days) were significantly older, with associated comorbidities, exhibiting lymphopenia, eosinopenia, increased {D}-dimer and increased troponin (p < 0.05), and were hospitalized in intensive care unit in 17.7% vs. 1.1% of cases (p < 0.0001). {V}iral culture was positive in six persistent shedders after day 10, including in one patient after day 17, and no viral co-pathogen was detected in 33 tested patients. {P}ersistent shedders received azithromycin plus hydroxychloroquine >= 3 days in 26/34 (76.5%) patients, a figure significantly lower than in short shedders (86.6%) (p = 0.042). {A}ccordingly, mortality was 14.7% vs. 0.5% (p < 0.0001). {P}ersistent shedding was significantly associated with persistent dyspnea and anosmia/ageusia (p < 0.05). {I}n the context of {COVID}-19 treatment, including treatment with azithromycin plus hydroxychloroquine, the persistence of {SARS}-{C}o{V}-2 nasopharyngeal shedding was a rare event, most frequently encountered in elderly patients with comorbidities and lacking azithromycin plus hydroxychloroquine treatment.},
  keywords = {{SARS}-{C}o{V}-2 ; {COVID}-19 ; viral persistence ; culture ; q{RT}-{PCR} ; hydroxychloroquine ; azithromycin},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{V}iruses},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {5},
  pages = {890 [12 ]},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.3390/v13050890},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010081532},
}