Can coronavirus be caught from the feces of someone with the disease?

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  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a disease that has changed our norm, our lifestyle, and the way we interact with family, friends, colleagues, and other people in our community. This is caused by the novel coronavirus. The impact of this disease is massive to our economy, society, and well-being. Most of the governments had implemented lockdowns and some parts of this world are still under lockdown just to stop the spread of this disease. You or anyone else may catch this disease from the contact with feces belonging to an infected individual. However, there is no case following such transmission has been reported. 

 The virus that causes this disease is now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Previously, the virus is known as 2019-nCov. The genetic sequencing of this virus is closest to two bat coronaviruses. Till now, it is most likely that the bat is the primary source of this infection. 

 SARS-CoV-2 is the latest name for the virus causing this disease and it has been found in patients’ stool, blood, semen, and tears. The transmission via stool, blood, and semen is still inconclusive. Infected individuals are most likely to infect other healthy individuals in the earlier phase of this disease. 

 Although infected individuals are asymptomatic, they can still transmit the infection and infect other healthy individuals. Infections most likely to happen among:

  • Individuals who live together
  • Healthcare workers without proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Prisoners
  • Cruise ship workers
  • Homeless shelters

 It has been reported that 20 million individuals have suffered from COVID-19. There are cases in all continents except Antarctica. Initially, the study of the transmission of this disease in Wuhan associated it with the seafood market which sold live animals. Most patients at that time either visited the market or worked there. 

  Last year, in late 2019, a novel coronavirus was detected in China causing pneumonia. The spread of this disease is fast and that COVID-19 has become epidemic. Later, this disease spread to all over the world. The virus that causes this disease is now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Previously, the virus is known as 2019-nCov. The genetic sequencing of this virus is closest to two bat coronaviruses. Till now, it is most likely that the bat is the primary source of this infection.

 The symptoms and signs of COVID-19:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Muscle or body ache
  • Loss of smell sensation

 The main route of transmission of this disease is person to person. This disease can infect others through close contact with infected individuals. Respiratory droplets are the medium in which the viruses are released. Droplets are a result of sneezing, coughing, and talking. However, respiratory droplets do not travel more than 2 meters.

 The strategy in overcoming this disease is via infection control. The preventive measures are:

  • Proper and frequent hand washing
  • Avoid touching your face
  • Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects
  • Wearing mask (non-medical mask)- cloth or fabric
  • Physical distancing, at least two meters apart
  • Other public health measures that can be implemented by the authorities, such as stay at home orders, closure of businesses and schools, stop public gatherings, active identification and isolation of infected individuals, contact tracing, quarantine, and travel restriction

 The test that can be done to detect this disease is polymerase chain reaction (PCR test). The samples for this test should be obtained from:

  • Nasal swab
  • Nasopharyngeal swab
  • Nasal wash and aspirate
  • Nasopharyngeal wash and aspirate
  • Oropharyngeal swab

 Covid-19 specific treatments that can be given in hospitals are:

  • Dexamethasone
  • Remdesivir
  • Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine
  • Favipiravir
  • Interferons