Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health crisis caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It affects not only the lungs but also the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, leading to symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. This study aimed to collect and analyze data from various sources to understand the prevalence of GI symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 presence in fecal tests among COVID-19 patients.

Researchers searched through published articles and preprint studies from November 2019 to March 2020 to find information about COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms. They focused on patients who reported diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting and examined changes in liver enzyme levels and SARS-CoV-2 presence in feces.

The analysis included 23 published studies and 6 preprint studies, totaling 4805 COVID-19 patients. They found that approximately 12% of patients experienced diarrhea, while around 5% reported nausea or vomiting. Additionally, about 20% had higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase, and 15% had increased alanine aminotransferase, indicating potential liver damage. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in fecal tests of approximately 40.5% of patients, showing that the virus can be found in the stool even when the respiratory symptoms are improving.

These findings highlight the significance of understanding GI symptoms and viral shedding in feces among COVID-19 patients. Detecting the virus in stool samples emphasizes the need for better measures to prevent its spread, as SARS-CoV-2 can potentially be transmitted through feces, contributing to the contagiousness of the disease.

Read full research: Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fecal Viral Shedding in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

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