Clinical pathology selected abstracts
February 2020—SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through respiratory droplets, close person-to-person contact, and infected surfaces. Those with COVID-19 often present with fever and respiratory symptoms, and diagnosis relies on detecting the virus through specimens from the upper and lower respiratory tract. However, an increasing number of patients are exhibiting such gastrointestinal symptoms as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. A growing number of studies are reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool samples and anal swabs, generating interest in research focused on a fecal-oral route of transmission. The authors conducted a study to assess the clinical relevance of testing stool samples and anal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 and to provide a critical overview of literature addressing possible fecal-oral transmission.