[Study on the RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) associated coronavirus in the blood and excretion of convalescent patients with SARS].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in the blood and excretion of convalescent patient with SARS for prevention and treatment of the disease.


METHODS
A total of 276 samples, including plasma, urine, feces and sputum, obtained from 23 convalescent patients with SARS were studied at 3 time-points at least 21 days after the onset of symptoms. RNA was extracted and nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out using SARS-CoV specific primers.


RESULTS
Among the 276 samples, SARS-CoV RNA was detected in 6 cases (38.8%) by nested RT-PCR. The positive rates of SARS-CoV RNA was 5.8% in feces and 2.9% in sputum samples but SARS-CoV RNA was not detectable in plasma and urine of all the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The existence of SARS-CoV RNA in the excretion of some convalescent patients with SARS showed that the excretion from these patients should be carefully treated whilthe re-transmission of SARS by which, should be further studied.
Chang
Zhao-rui
ZR
National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China.
Yang
Ren-quan
RQ
Wang
Yan-bin
YB
Ren
Li-li
LL
Wang
Min
M
Yang
Yao-wu
YW
Guo
Li
L
Chao
Yan-gong
YG
Qu
Cheng-yi
CY
Wang
Jian-wei
JW
Hong
Tao
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003289:Convalescence; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D013183:Sputum / Q000821:virology
D012367:RNA, Viral