Repeated Covid-19 Infection Exists: A Case Series From Pakistan

J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2021 Jul-Sep;33(3):519-522.

Abstract

Background: Protection against SARS-CoV-2 in infected individuals of COVID-19 is lacking. We report a case series of repeated infections of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: A total of 12 patients were identified with repeated infections for SARS-CoV-2 from 25 April 2020 to 16 March 2021 from Pakistan. Repeated infection was defined as diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests in the first and second phase of infection after complete recovery from the first phase of infection with a negative RT-PCR.

Results: Of the 12 participants, 75% (n=9) were male and mean age of the participants were 40.1±9.7 years. Mean duration between the first and second phase of infection was 184±68.9 days. Patients presenting with mild infection in the first phase largely developed moderate to severe infection in the second phase. None of them were vaccinated.

Conclusion: The pandemic of COVID-19 is on the rise and repeated infection from SARS-CoV-2 is occurring.

Keywords: Reinfection; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Vaccination;.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pakistan / epidemiology
  • Pandemics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2