Duration of Infectious Virus Shedding by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant–Infected Vaccinees

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 998 - 1001
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Kenichiro, Ishikane, Masahiro, Ujiie, Mugen, Iwamoto, Noriko, Okumura, Nobumasa, Sato, Testsuro, Nagashima, Maki, Moriya, Ataru, Suzuki, Michiyo, Hojo, Masayuki, Kanno, Takayuki, Saito, Shinji, Miyamoto, Sho, Ainai, Akira, Tobiume, Minoru, Arashiro, Takeshi, Fujimoto, Tsuguto, Saito, Tomoya, Yamato, Masaya, Suzuki, Tadaki, Ohmagari, Norio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.05.2022; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; Airports; Asymptomatic; Asymptomatic Infections; Communicable Diseases; coronavirus disease; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Dispatch; Duration of Infectious Virus Shedding by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant–Infected Vaccinees; Genomes; Humans; Infections; Infectious disease incubation period; Infectious diseases; Medical research; Patients; Respiratory tract; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Virus research; Virus Shedding; Viruses; Japan; viruses; vaccines; Japan; zoonoses; respiratory infections; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viral shedding; variant of concern; 2019 novel coronavirus disease; coronavirus disease; Omicron
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2805.220197

To determine virus shedding duration, we examined clinical samples collected from the upper respiratory tracts of persons infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variant in Japan during November 29-December 18, 2021. Vaccinees with mild or asymptomatic infection shed infectious virus 6-9 days after onset or diagnosis, even after symptom resolution.