COVID-19: An Asymptomatic Carrier

Abstract

A 20-year-old asymptomatic Caucasian female has been screened to the clinic for COVID-19 testing due to the recent pandemic. She works in the primary care clinic where covid-19 patients are not seen. She has a past medical history of diabetes Mellitus and thyroid nodule. Her vitals are Temp 96.2 F, BP 123/89, RR 18, spo2 99% on air. On physical examination, her nasal turbinates were pale bilaterally, with no throat congestion. She denies any cough, congestion, fever, muscle aches, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste, or smell sensation. On Investigation: Early march IgG antibody positive for covid-19 and in late May, she was tested positive for RT-PCR covid-19 without symptoms both times. On both occasions, she was working with healthcare workers without strict preventive protocols, who came negative for tests. Her family and close contacts tested negative for COVID-19. Diagnosis: Asymptomatic covid 19 carriers. Treatment: Close monitoring for symptoms. Discussion: Over the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant concern worldwide due to its rapid spread. There are few notable symptomatic cases that are hospitalized and two months after discharge, they still tested positive on the RT-PCR COVID-19 test. It means they are a dormant carrier for COVID-19. But, in our case, the patient was asymptomatic and positive for COVID-19 antibody and RT-PCR test. Surprisingly, all healthcare workers in the clinic came negative on repeated testing. We presumed that she encountered some covid-19 strain, which remains dormant in the body and non-contagious. We need further studies to evaluate the COVID-19 dormant stage like hepatitis-B and tuberculosis.