Persistence of SARS-COV-2 in body fluids: a bystander or whistle blower

Abstract

The novel Coronavirus COVID-19 is wrecking a havoc across the globe and has been declared as a pandemic by WHO. Apart from transmission and shedding of the virus through respiratory secretions in the form of droplets (mainly), several studies have shown the presence of the virus in various samples such as stool, urine and occasionally in blood, semen, tears and breastmilk. Whereas government authority guidelines consider a person as cured from COVID-19 when along with clinical improvement no more virus can be detected primarily on respiratory samples along with clinical improvement; the persistence of the virus in these body fluids even after clinical recovery and negative RT-PCR test results on respiratory samples, has raised many questions about the elusive nature of this novel virus along with the possibility of other routes of transmission of this virus in the community. Although studies performed till now across the globe on persistence of SARSCOV-2 in various body fluids are sparse, in this review we would like to present and analyse the results of those studies performed globally on the aforesaid topic to get a better insight of this side of the COVID-19 story.