Recurrence of COVID-19: Treading the Fine Line Between Relapse and Re-infection

Authors

  • Ritwick Mondal Department of Internal medicine , Institute of Post Graduate and Medical Education and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India
  • Shramana Deb S.N. Pradhan Centre for Neurosciences , University of Calcutta, India.
  • Durjoy Lahiri Bangur Institute Of Neurosciences , Institute of Post Graduate and Medical Education and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India
  • Gourav Shome Department Of Microbiology, University of Calcutta, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2020.727

Keywords:

COVID-19, Relapse, Reinfection

Abstract

The ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 that began in Wuhan, China, has constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, with cases confirmed in more than 200 countries. Currently, infected individuals are the primary source of infection and multiple cases of relapse are also reported following the recovery. It is highly concerning the nature of relapse which may be caused due to reactivation or reinfection. While the present testing scenario of using different molecular techniques has several loopholes that can report false results and hamper the process of effectively preventing the transmission of the virus. Various recommendations need modifications to effectively stop the horizontal transmission of the virus and look deeply into the links with relapse cases to prevent a second wave during a pandemic.

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Author Biographies

Ritwick Mondal, Department of Internal medicine , Institute of Post Graduate and Medical Education and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India

MBBS. Junior Resident doctor.

First class MBBS graduate from Institute of Postgraduate and Medical Education and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India. He is currently engaged as a Junior Resident Department of Internal Medicine at the above institution. He has received various notable awards like ICMR-STS, international ambassador for the UMCG, Groningen etc. He is currently exposed to laboratory research at Bangur institute of Neurosciences.

Shramana Deb, S.N. Pradhan Centre for Neurosciences , University of Calcutta, India.

MSc.

Durjoy Lahiri, Bangur Institute Of Neurosciences , Institute of Post Graduate and Medical Education and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India

MD, DM. Senior Resident Doctor at the institute and faculty for PG courses. 

Gourav Shome, Department Of Microbiology, University of Calcutta, India

MSc. Currently Working as Junior Research fellow at the Department of Microbiology. Holds ICMR and CSIR JRF qualifications.

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Published

2020-12-09

How to Cite

Mondal, R. ., Deb, S., Lahiri, D., & Shome, G. (2020). Recurrence of COVID-19: Treading the Fine Line Between Relapse and Re-infection. International Journal of Medical Students, 8(3), 311–313. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2020.727

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3 (2020)

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