Exploring the Relationship Between Comorbidities and Prolonged Viral Shedding in COVID-19: A Cycle Threshold Value-Based Investigation

Affiliation
¹Division of Tropical and Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia | ²Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia | ³Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia | ⁴Division of Pulmonology and Critical Illness, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia

Background

• Some comorbidities may prolong viral RNA shedding in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

• This study explored which comorbidities are linked to prolonged shedding using cycle threshold (Ct) values.

Methods

• Retrospective cohort at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung (March 2020–April 2022).

• ORF1b Ct values were tracked from week 1 to week 5 and stratified by comorbidity.

Key Results

• 279 patients were included (median age 55); most comorbidity groups showed rising Ct values over time.

• In the HIV–AIDS and autoimmune groups, Ct values peaked and then declined.

• HIV–AIDS patients differed significantly from patients without comorbidity.

Discussion & Conclusion

• COVID-19 patients with HIV–AIDS had prolonged viral shedding compared with those with other comorbidities.

• Results should be read with caution, as many patients had only a single Ct result.

Related SDGs

SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being
The study focuses on COVID-19, prolonged viral shedding, comorbidities such as HIV-AIDS, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune disease, as well as implications for infection control and patient management.

Journal Information

Journal: Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/cjid/8871861