what is the reason of re positive of COVID19 tests in recovered patients ?
Re-testing positive in a COVID-19 recovered patient
In a recovered patient, a re-positive test can be a false positive, may just indicate that patient is not having active infection, but shedding the viral RNA in throat secretions or feces, or if the patient has recurrence of symptoms and infection, one should seriously think of re-infection.
Because of false positive tests, and the cost, if a patient is considered recovered clinically, there is no need to do the SARS-CoV-2 testing as recommended by guidelines including those by WHO (1).
https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/criteria-for-releasing-covid-19-patients-from-isolation
it also can be right not a false ! so what is the reason in viral genetic ?
The main reason is easily either viral latency and resurgence or Reinfection.
I have seen both cases. The mode of Expulsion of the virus is definitely not mucus secretion or excretion. The PCR test usually tests for active viruses not dead and defeated ones. So the theory that its a false positive is False! Except if the test instruments are wrong calibrated or the lab people are inexperienced. I have seen a patient who has presented severe symptoms on both presentations.. and i have a paper whose preprint will be out in a couple of days which discusses this case/patient.
Viral latency is another possibility, where the use of antibiotics forces the viruses into latency and then on discontinuation of the antibiotics it resurges. This is why Antibiotics are not advised for Viral Managements.. Everyone know Viruses are a succesful group of microbes especially in ways of adaptation for survival..
While reinfection is dependent on individuals and how they stay safe, viral latency is very dependent on the form of management received during initial presentation and hospital stay..
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343675554_HIGHLIGHTING_THE_POSSIBILITY_OF_COVID-19_REINFECTION_AFTER_RECOVERY_A_CASE_REPORT_FROM_NIGERIA
The most real concern is reinfection with Covid-19, as long lasting immunity following infection with SARS-Cov2 is not scientifically ascertained. There were reports of reinfection among patients who previuosly recovered from Covid-19. The issue of technical faults leading to a false positive result is another possibility, however it should be be minimized to lowest degree that we can.
May be due to the method used to detect the coronavirus PCR, cannot distinguish between genetic material (RNA) from infectious virus and the "dead" virus fragments that can linger in the body long after a person recovers. Although somebody can recover and no longer be infectious, they may still have these little fragments of viral RNA which turn out positive on those tests.
Please see the following links:
https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-reinfections-were-false-positives.html
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-reinfected-with-covid-19-werent-infectious
The reason is "reinfection", because acquired immunity against COVID-19 is short lived.
Please also see the following RG links.
Article Probable Causes and Risk Factors for Positive SARS-CoV-2 Tes...
Article A follow-up study shows that recovered patients with re-posi...