Lack of evidence of viability and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in the fecal specimens of COVID-19 patients

Joshi, M. V.; Mohandas, Sreelekshmy; Prasad, SR; Shinde, Manohar; Chavan, Nutan; Yadav, Pragya; Lavania, Mallika

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1030249

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Studies excluded on full-text screening). Finally, we included 13 studies with a total of 1625 participants [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specimens positive with qPCR were subjected to virus isolation in Vero cells and they reported log copy numbers for faecal samples from three patients. Joshi presented a multicenter case-series from hospitals in India using stored samples collected between May 2020 and August 2021 [28]. A further study from India described a multicenter cohort study involving 55 patients (55 samples) attending hospitals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between May 2020 and August 2021 [29].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oro-faecal transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review of studies employing viral culture from gastrointestinal and other potential sources

Gandini,

Conly,

Spencer

et al. 2024

Preprint

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BackgroundThe extent to which the oro-faecal route contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is not established.MethodsWe systematically reviewed the evidence on the presence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in faeces and other gastrointestinal sources by examining studies that used viral culture to investigate the presence of replication-competent virus in these samples. We conducted searches in the WHO Covid-19 Database, LitCovid, medRxiv, and Google Scholar for SARS-CoV-2 using keywords and associated synonyms, with a search date up to 28th of November 2023.ResultsWe included 13 studies involving 328 COVID-19 subjects - providing 314 faecal or rectal swab SARS-CoV2 positive samples tested also with viral culture. The methods used for viral culture across the studies were heterogeneous. Three studies (2 cohorts and 1 case-series) reported observing replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) and whole genome sequencing, and qPCR including appropriate cycle threshold changes. Overall, six (1.9%) of 314 faecal samples subjected to cell culture showed replication-competent virus. One study found replication competent samples from one immunocompromised patient. No studies were identified demonstrating direct evidence of oro-faecal transmission to humans.ConclusionsOur review found a relatively low frequency of replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 in faecal and other gastrointestinal sources. Although it is biologically plausible, more research is needed, using standardized cell culture methods, control groups, adequate follow-up and robust epidemiologic methods, including whether secondary infections occurred, to determine the role of the oro-faecal route in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

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“…Studies excluded on full-text screening). Finally, we included 13 studies with a total of 1625 participants [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oro-faecal transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review of studies employing viral culture from gastrointestinal and other potential sources

Gandini,

Conly,

Spencer

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Various factors may affect the detection of viruses through molecular techniques, including low levels of virus excretion, the presence of PCR inhibitors hindering reverse transcription reactions, and the presence of RNAses in fecal matter capable of degrading RNA molecules [ 32 , 35 ]. These limitations could impact our ability to detect viral sequences using molecular techniques such as Nested PCR or other regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome through metagenomic sequencing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Spreading of SARS-CoV-2 from Humans to Captive Non-Human Primates in the Peruvian Amazon

Tavera Gonzales,

Bazalar Gonzales,

Silvestre Espejo

et al. 2024

Animals

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Human-to-animal transmission events of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) have been reported in both domestic and wild species worldwide. Despite the high rates of contagion and mortality during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Diseases 2019) pandemic in Peru, no instances of natural virus infection have been documented in wild animals, particularly in the Amazonian regions where human–wildlife interactions are prevalent. In this study, we conducted a surveillance investigation using viral RNA sequencing of fecal samples collected from 76 captive and semi-captive non-human primates (NHPs) in the Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios regions between August 2022 and February 2023. We detected a segment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of SARS-CoV-2 by metagenomic sequencing in a pooled fecal sample from captive white-fronted capuchins (Cebus unicolor) at a rescue center in Bello Horizonte, Ucayali. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed that the retrieved partial sequence of the RdRp gene matched the SARS-CoV-2 genome. This study represents the first documented instance of molecular SARS-CoV-2 detection in NHPs in the Peruvian Amazon, underscoring the adverse impact of anthropic activities on the human–NHP interface and emphasizing the importance of ongoing surveillance for early detection and prediction of future emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in animals.

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“…Gut infection by SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by the detection of viral antigen in epithelial cells of the intestine and glands, which is consistent with the expression of ACE2 by these cells [ [38] , [40] ]. Viral RNA is shed in the fecal matter for prolonged periods with longer shedding periods reported for children than adults [ 41 ], although it remains to be proven whether shed virus is replication competent and infectious, with literature suggesting contradictory results [ [42] , [43] , [44] ]. This, nevertheless, supports that the gut mucosa is a site of SARS-CoV-2 antigen exposure.…”

Section: Mucosal Immune Responses To Sars-cov-2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Promises and challenges of mucosal COVID-19 vaccines

Rathore¹,

John²

2023

Vaccine

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Lack of evidence of viability and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in the fecal specimens of COVID-19 patients

Cited by 7 publications

References 30 publications

Oro-faecal transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review of studies employing viral culture from gastrointestinal and other potential sources

Oro-faecal transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review of studies employing viral culture from gastrointestinal and other potential sources

Possible Spreading of SARS-CoV-2 from Humans to Captive Non-Human Primates in the Peruvian Amazon

Promises and challenges of mucosal COVID-19 vaccines

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