Evaluation of the presence of reinfection in patients presenting to the emergency department with COVID-19 symptoms after recovery

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate COVID-19 reinfection in patients that presented to the emergency department with similar or different COVID-19 symptoms after recovery from the disease.This retrospective study included patients aged over 18 years presenting to the emergency department between January 1, 2021 and July 1, 2021, who had been previously diagnosed with COVID-19 and received treatment for the disease. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0.A total of 199 patients, 54.3% female, were included in the study. PCR positivity was present in 2.5% of the patients, and it was statistically significantly low(p<0.001). The most common symptom was fatigue (46.2%), and the least common symptom was loss of taste (3.0%). However, there was a statistically significant correlation between the loss of taste and smell and PCR positivity (p=0.024 and p=0.043, respectively). The logistic regression analysis revealed that the loss of taste and loss of smell alone did not have an effect on PCR positivity (p=0.848, 95% confidence interval: 0.005-71.83 and p=0.287, 95% confidence interval: 0.001-9.369).In the Covid-19 management and treatment guide, it is necessary to make changes in terms of symptoms for people who have had Covid-19 disease.

Keywords

• Covid-19 reinfection
• covid-19 symptoms,
• PCR

References

1. Republic of TurkeyMinistry of Health. Covid-19 Information page.[ınternet]. 2021(up-dated 2020 Dec 20; cited 2021 Oct 21) Available from: https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/TR-66935/genel-koronavirus-tablosu.html.
2. Republic of TurkeyMinistry of Health. Covid-19 Information page. .[ınternet]. 2021(up-dated 2020 Jan 20; cited 2021 Oct 21) Available from: https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/Eklenti/40719/0/covid-19rehberieriskinhastayonetimivetedavipdf.pdf.
3. Yahav D, Yelin D, Eckerle I, Eberhardt CS, Wang J, Cao B et al. Definitions for coronavirus disease 2019 reinfection, relapse and PCR re-positivity. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021;27(3):315-8. Doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.11.028.
4. Lechien JR, Chiesa-Estomba CM, Radulesco T, Michel J, Vaira LA, Le Bon SD et al. Clinical features of patients who had two COVID-19 episodes: a European multicentre case series. J Intern Med. 2021;290(2):421-9. Doi:10.1111/joim.13259.
5. Hansen CH, Michlmayr D,Gubbels SM, Mølbak K, Ethelberg S.Assessment of protection against reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 among 4 million PCR-testedindividuals in Denmark in 2020: apopulation-level observational study. Lancet. 2021;397(10280):1204-12. Doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00575-4.
6. Jain A, Kaur J, Rai AK, Pandey AK. Anosmia: A Clinical Indicator of COVID-19 Reinfection. Ear, Nose & Throat Journal. 2021;100(2_suppl):180S-181S. Doi:10.1177/0145561320978169.
7. Stokel-Walker C. What we know about covid-19 reinfection so far. BMJ. 2021;372:n99. Doi:10.1136/bmj.n99.
8. mRNA-1273 Study Group, Widge AT, Rouphael NG, Jackson LA, Anderson EJ, Roberts PC, Chappell JD et al. mRNA-1273 Study Group. Durability of responses after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 vaccination. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:80-2. Doi:10.1056/NEJMc2032195.

9. Alter G., Seder R. The power of antibody-based surveillance. N Engl J Med. 2020 ;383(18):1782-4. Doi: 10.1056/NEJMe2028079.