Persistence of infectivity in elderly individuals diagnosed with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection 10 days after onset of symptoms: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

We performed viral culture of nasopharyngeal specimens in individuals aged 79 and older, infected with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), 10 days after symptom onset. A positive viral culture was obtained in 10 (45%) of 22 participants, including 4 (33%) of 12 individuals with improving symptoms. The results of this small study suggest that infectivity may be prolonged among older individuals.