Prolonged SARS‐CoV‐2 shedding and mild course of COVID‐19 in a patient after recent heart transplantation

Decker, Annegrit; Welzel, Markus; Laubner, Katharina; Grundmann, Sebastian; Kochs, Georg; Panning, Marcus; Thimme, Robert; Bode, Christoph; Wagner, Dirk; Lother, Achim

In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, organ transplant recipients are considered to be at high risk for unfavorable outcome. However, in particular the role of immunosuppression in patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 remains undetermined. Here, we present a 62‐year old male COVID‐19 patient with recent heart transplantation who developed only mild symptoms, but had prolonged virus shedding, and summarize the available data on COVID‐19 in cardiac allograft recipients. Initially the patient presented with a transient episode of fever and sore throat but no other symptoms, in particular no cough or dyspnea at rest. After diagnosis, immunosuppression was continued unchanged. On day 7, temperature increased again with concurrent mild rise of CRP, IL‐6 and proBNP levels. Hydroxychloroquine was started and continued for 7 days. While the patient had no clinical symptoms anymore 20 days after initial presentation, virus culture of throat swabs on days 18 and 21 confirmed active virus replication and SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR remained positive on day 35 with copy numbers similar to the onset of infection. In conclusion, immunosuppression regimen in transplant recipients with mild COVID‐19 associated symptoms may be continued unchanged. However, it may contribute to delayed virus PCR conversion and thus possible prolonged infectivity.