Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis

Reinfection cases have been reported in some countries with clinical symptoms ranging from mild to severe. In addition to clinical diagnosis, virus genome sequence from the first and second infection has to be confirmed to either belong to separate clades or had significant mutations for the confirm...

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Main Authors: Lisa Yamasaki, Meng Ling Moi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Pathogens
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1262
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author Lisa Yamasaki
Meng Ling Moi
author_facet Lisa Yamasaki
Meng Ling Moi
author_sort Lisa Yamasaki
collection DOAJ
description Reinfection cases have been reported in some countries with clinical symptoms ranging from mild to severe. In addition to clinical diagnosis, virus genome sequence from the first and second infection has to be confirmed to either belong to separate clades or had significant mutations for the confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. While phylogenetic analysis with paired specimens offers the strongest evidence for reinfection, there remains concerns on the definition of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, for reasons including accessibility to paired-samples and technical challenges in phylogenetic analysis. In light of the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that are associated with increased transmissibility and immune-escape further understanding of COVID-19 protective immunity, real-time surveillance directed at identifying COVID-19 transmission patterns, transmissibility of emerging variants and clinical implications of reinfection would be important in addressing the challenges in definition of COVID-19 reinfection and understanding the true disease burden.
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spelling doaj.art-b85bc509d71344e69a58a8c25c98cde92023-11-22T19:33:12ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-09-011010126210.3390/pathogens10101262Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and DiagnosisLisa Yamasaki0Meng Ling Moi1WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Tropical and Emerging Virus Diseases, WHO Global Reference Laboratory for COVID-19, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521, JapanWHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Tropical and Emerging Virus Diseases, WHO Global Reference Laboratory for COVID-19, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521, JapanReinfection cases have been reported in some countries with clinical symptoms ranging from mild to severe. In addition to clinical diagnosis, virus genome sequence from the first and second infection has to be confirmed to either belong to separate clades or had significant mutations for the confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. While phylogenetic analysis with paired specimens offers the strongest evidence for reinfection, there remains concerns on the definition of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, for reasons including accessibility to paired-samples and technical challenges in phylogenetic analysis. In light of the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that are associated with increased transmissibility and immune-escape further understanding of COVID-19 protective immunity, real-time surveillance directed at identifying COVID-19 transmission patterns, transmissibility of emerging variants and clinical implications of reinfection would be important in addressing the challenges in definition of COVID-19 reinfection and understanding the true disease burden.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1262SARS-CoV-2COVID-19re-infectionsurveillancecontrolprevention
spellingShingle Lisa Yamasaki
Meng Ling Moi
Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
Pathogens
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
re-infection
surveillance
control
prevention
title Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
title_full Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
title_fullStr Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
title_full_unstemmed Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
title_short Complexities in Case Definition of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection: Clinical Evidence and Implications in COVID-19 Surveillance and Diagnosis
title_sort complexities in case definition of sars cov 2 reinfection clinical evidence and implications in covid 19 surveillance and diagnosis
topic SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
re-infection
surveillance
control
prevention
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1262
work_keys_str_mv AT lisayamasaki complexitiesincasedefinitionofsarscov2reinfectionclinicalevidenceandimplicationsincovid19surveillanceanddiagnosis
AT menglingmoi complexitiesincasedefinitionofsarscov2reinfectionclinicalevidenceandimplicationsincovid19surveillanceanddiagnosis