SARS-CoV-2 detection in the lower respiratory tract of invasively ventilated ARDS patients.

Background: Data on SARS-CoV-2 load in lower respiratory tract (LRT) are scarce. Our objectives were to describe the viral shedding and the viral load in LRT and to determine their association with mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We conducted a binational study merging prospectively collected data from two COVID-19 reference centers in France and Switzerland.

Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for prolonged SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in lower respiratory tract samples of critically ill patients.

Purpose: The length of time a critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient remains infectious and should therefore be isolated remains unknown. This prospective study was undertaken in critically ill patients to evaluate the reliability of single negative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in lower tracheal aspirates (LTA) in predicting a second negative test and to analyze clinical factors potentially influencing the viral shedding.

Methods: From April 9, 2020 onwards, intubated COVID-19 patients treated in the intensive care unit were systematically evaluated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by RT-PCR of nasopharyngeal swabs and LTA.