Long-term positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ribonucleic acid and therapeutic effect of antivirals in patients with coronavirus disease: Case reports

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2020:53:e20200372. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0372-2020. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been declared a pandemic. We herein report four COVID-19 cases with long-term positive viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) for about 61 days. Despite treatment with recombinant human interferon, convalescent plasma from COVID-19 patients, arbidol, etc., nucleic acid results were still positive for SARS-CoV-2. After treatment with ritonavir-boosted danoprevir (DNVr, 100/100 mg, once daily), all four patients showed two to three consecutive negative SARS-CoV-2 RNA and were thus discharged from hospital. Therefore, DNVr may be a potentially effective antiviral for COVID-19 patients with long-term positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antiviral Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Coronavirus Infections* / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections* / virology
  • Coronavirus*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / virology
  • RNA, Viral* / blood
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • RNA, Viral