Demographic and clinical characteristics of COIVD-19 reinfection cases confirmed by genetic analysis: A Systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31557/ejhc.2022.2.1.50-55Keywords:
COVID 19, Reinfection, Systematic Review.Abstract
Background: Although infection with SARS-CoV-2 results in protective immune responses in recovered patients, reinfection with the virus is not impossible. Here we systematically reviewed literature-based-reported cases of reinfections in order to explore the virus-related, clinical, and demographic characteristics of re-infection in patients.
Methods: This is a systematic review of all case reports of reinfection since the pandemic has begun. We searched through PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Embase databases and selected case reports and case series of reinfections by genetically confirmed COVID-19 virus strains.
Results: Among 360 cases reported, just 39 cases met our criteria (genetically confirmed COVID-19 virus strains). The mean ± standard deviation of the age was 42 ± 17.4 (17.4 SD) with an equal proportion of males and females. The Second infection was asymptomatic or mild in most cases. The interval between the first and second infection was from 11 to 286 days. Nineteen patients had no underlying diseases, and four patients were immunodeficient due to immunosuppressive therapy. The First and second infection viruses were from different clades in 20 patients. Close to half of the reinfection occurred in health care workers.
Conclusion: Evidence suggests that there is no guarantee that infection with SARS-CoV-2 protects from reinfection and that even immunocompetent patients are prone to be reinfected in the virus strain changes