Investigation of the presence of the virus in the urine and fecal samples of COVID-19 diagnosed and suspected patients by RT-PCR method: A different perspective on fecal-oral transmission theory

Abstract

With the sudden COVID-19 outbreak in 2019 which has taken over the whole world, drastic changes have taken place on a global level from the understanding of hygiene to living conditions. Although the disease is often detected using respiratory tract samples with PCR tests, many publications state that the virus can also be traced in various body wastes. In our study, we aimed to determine the frequency of the virus in 50 urine and 50 stool samples and to reveal the relationship between the patients' stool PCR results according to Computed tomography (CT), biochemical tests, and the positivity of respiratory PCR test with microbiological samples. The presence of SARS-CoV2 RNA in the urine and stool samples of the patients was detected by qRT-PCR methods. Shapiro-Wilk normality test was applied to the CT, respiratory tract PCR and biochemistry results of the patients. As shown by the results, while none of the 50 patients had positive urine samples, we detected COVID-19 viral shedding in the stool specimens of 15 patients. Respiratory PCR test was negative in 4 of the stool-positive patients. No significant correlation was found between CT results and the biochemistry results of 15 patients with positive stools. In our study, the rate of viral shedding in feces was found to be 30%, which we think may be a finding to demonstrate how the pandemic rapidly progresses in cities due to the viability of the virus outside the body.