The sample of Thrissur native Savio Joseph, who had tested positive thrice in a span of 7 months, has been sent for genome sequencing to determine if he was reinfected with the novel coronavirus or whether it was a case of viral shedding.
The sample has been sent to CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, in New Delhi. The sample has been sent by a private hospital in northern Kerala. The hospital, however, preferred anonymity citing that “it would be appropriate to wait for the result.”
Genomic sequencing is the process of determining the DNA sequence of an organism's entire genome at one time.
Savio had approached the hospital at the end of September and had given consent to send his sample for the genomic study 'aimed at understanding the genomics of human and pathogens and its relationship with COVID-19 disease.’
This comes even as the case of the 38-year-old poses a challenge to experts as it hasn’t been confirmed yet if he was reinfected or if it was viral shedding (Viral shedding occurs when a virus replicated in the human body). His COVID-19 test had returned positive three times between March and September.
Meanwhile, his sample returned negative in an RT-PCR test, which remains the gold standard for all viral infections, on Friday.
Savio, however, still has breathing difficulty and chest congestion.
“I consume hot water and hot food only as even the slightest cold would cause chest congestion,” Savio told TNM.
He got his sample tested on his own without a doctor’s advice. “I decided to go for it as last time I was discharged based on an antigen test,” he said.
Savio first tested positive in March while he was working in Oman as a service manager. He quit his job and returned home as the pandemic situation worsened in the country. He got tested again in July and went for another test which also returned positive. He was admitted at the Government Medical College Thrissur.
He was discharged on August 11, but the symptoms persisted. He got tested positive again within weeks. He was admitted again at the Medical College Hospital and was discharged on September 11 based on an antigen test which returned negative. The first time he contracted pneumonia and later, he was given medicines for bronchitis.
“We need to get the earlier RT-PCR samples of the previous tests conducted at the Thrissur Medical College. We haven’t got access to it yet to study it and to identify if it was the same virus or a different one,” Dr Vinod Scaria told TNM. He is a scientist at CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.
Also Read: Reinfection or viral shedding? Kerala man tests positive for coronavirus thrice in 6 months