May 27th -
New research data suggests that asymptomatic patients are:
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More likely to be women.
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More likely to be younger.
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Shed SARS-CoV-2 viral particles for about 8 days, compared with 19 days for symptomatic patients.
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Less overall consumption of CD4+T lymphocyte in asymptomatic infections (which implies that asymptomatic infection is accompanied by less adverse effects upon the immune system then symptomatic infection).
Do note, reduced duration of viral shedding is not the same as viral load ( the amount of viral particles expelled in respiratory droplets) – these two separate factors are a separate variable this study did not test for.
Recent circulating information suggest it is likely the number of asymptomatic, ‘silent’ COVID-19 infections are clearly more prevalent than initial estimates.
Some asymptomatic patients may act as COVID-19 ‘super spreaders’, but this study demonstrates that is probable that they will not be contagious for as long as comparable symptomatic patients.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2766237