A 56-year-old man with RT-PCR negative nasopharyngeal swabs with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia

Abstract

Introduction. Diagnostic procedure in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is based mainly on performing real-time-reverse transcription-polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR), which has been accepted as the gold standard method. In some cases, such as mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, variable viral load kinetics or laboratory errors, it can be false-negative. Case report. The case is presented of a 56-year-old man with respiratory tract symptoms, with twice negative results of real-time-reverse transcription-polymerase chain-reaction of nasopharyngeal swabs and positive chest computed tomography, with typical findings for COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusions. Patients with negative RT-PCR results, but with positive computed tomography findings characteristic for COVID-19, should be treated as well as those infected.