[Study on the RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) associated coronavirus in the blood and excretion of convalescent patients with SARS].

Chang, Zhao-rui; Yang, Ren-quan; Wang, Yan-bin; Ren, Li-li; Wang, Min; Yang, Yao-wu; Guo, Li; Chao, Yan-gong; Qu, Cheng-yi; Wang, Jian-wei; Hong, Tao

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. CONCLUSION 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.