Vaselli, Natasha Marcella 
ORCID: 0000-0003-0220-9249, Setiabudi, Wega ORCID: 0000-0003-2510-0318, Subramaniam, Krishanthi ORCID: 0000-0002-1734-9351, Adams, Emily R, Turtle, Lance ORCID: 0000-0002-0778-1693, Iturriza-Gomara, Miren ORCID: 0000-0001-5816-6423, Solomon, Tom ORCID: 0000-0001-7266-6547, Cunliffe, Nigel A ORCID: 0000-0002-5449-4988, French, Neil ORCID: 0000-0003-4814-8293 and Hungerford, Daniel ORCID: 0000-0002-9770-0163
(2021)
Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 faecal shedding in the community: a prospective household cohort study (COVID-LIV) in the UK.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES, 21 (1).
784-.
ISSN 1471-2334, 1471-2334
Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>SARS-CoV-2 is frequently shed in the stool of patients hospitalised with COVID-19. The extent of faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 among individuals in the community, and its potential to contribute to spread of disease, is unknown.<h4>Methods</h4>In this prospective, observational cohort study among households in Liverpool, UK, participants underwent weekly nasal/throat swabbing to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus, over a 12-week period from enrolment starting July 2020. Participants that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were asked to provide a stool sample three and 14 days later. In addition, in October and November 2020, during a period of high community transmission, stool sampling was undertaken to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 faecal shedding among all study participants. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected using Real-Time PCR.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 434 participants from 176 households were enrolled. Eighteen participants (4.2%: 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5-6.5%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus on nasal/throat swabs and of these, 3/17 (18%: 95% CI 4-43%) had SARS-CoV-2 detected in stool. Two of three participants demonstrated ongoing faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2, without gastrointestinal symptoms, after testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples. Among 165/434 participants without SARS-CoV-2 infection and who took part in the prevalence study, none had SARS-CoV-2 in stool. There was no demonstrable household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among households containing a participant with faecal shedding.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 occurred among community participants with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, during a period of high community transmission, faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 was not detected among participants without SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is unlikely that the faecal-oral route plays a significant role in household and community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Cohort study, Faecal shedding, Transmission, Community, Asymptomatic, Gastrointestinal |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 11 Aug 2021 08:25 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Dec 2024 21:10 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12879-021-06443-7 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06443-7 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3133030 |
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