SARS-CoV-2 induced diarrhoea as onset symptom in patient with COVID-19
Yimeng Song, Peng Liu, Xiaoli Shi, Yufeng Chu, J Zhang, Jun Xia, X Z Gao, Tingting Qu, Ming‐Yi Wang
Abstract
We read with great interest the recent publication by Kumar et al , concerning gastrointestinal tract (GIT) symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain) among hospitalised children admitted with H1N1 influenza A virus infection.1 They have concluded that patients with GIT symptoms should not be ignored for the virus infectivity, especially during the outbreak period. Now the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) beginning in Wuhan has rapidly spread around China and other countries.2 According to the latest reports, the most common symptoms at onset of illness included fever, fatigue, dry cough, myalgia and dyspnoea, and the less common symptoms were headache, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.3 Few patients initially presented with only GIT symptoms were reported. On 29 January 2020, a 22-year-old man presented himself to the local fever clinic, with a 4-day history of diarrhoea and low-grade fever. The highest temperature was 38.3°C, and diarrhoea was …