Asymptomatic cases in a family cluster with SARS-CoV-2 infection
Xingfei Pan, Dexiong Chen, Yong Xia, Xinwei Wu, Tangsheng Li, Xueting Ou, et al.
Published:February 19, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30114-6
Since December, 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a serious epidemic in China and other countries, resulting in worldwide concern.1 Family clusters of infected individuals have been reported, and this phenomenon could present a serious threat to public health if not strictly controlled. In a previously reported family cluster, most infected individuals had clinical symptoms, decreased lymphocyte counts, and abnormal chest CT images, and were positive for the virus on quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis.2, 3 However, some of the family members had abnormal chest CT images and positive qRT-PCR results without any clinical symptoms.3 Here, we report the clinical characteristics of a family cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this family of three, one 35-year-old man (patient 1) had clinical symptoms, a decreased lymphocyte count, abnormal chest CT images, and a positive result on qRT-PCR. By contrast, the other two family members—a 33-year-old woman (patient 2) and a 3-year-old boy (patient 3)—were both asymptomatic, with normal lymphocyte counts and chest CT images but positive qRT-PCR results (figure).
