Case Report: Longitudinal assessment of a COVID-19 patient in the midst of a pandemic

Abstract

Directional clinical evaluation and management of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was initially presumptive based on the Wuhan data set as reported by World Health Organization (WHO). The current recommendations emanate primarily from the Chinese experience and subsequent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Here we report a case with an “atypical” patient risk profile and variant longitudinal disease progression contrasting from existing recommendations. Our case report suggests that a universal 14-day quarantine timeline may not be sufficient; that correlation is needed between viral presence as determined by RT-PCR and a patient’s humoral response tested by serologic immunoassay of IgM & IgG. Hence, a clinical decision-making algorithm that can help clinicians clear a patient from “active infection” status would require testing that is sufficiently reliable, and should include serological testing for immunity.