Prague Med. Rep. 2023, 124, 33-39

https://doi.org/10.14712/23362936.2023.3

Screening for SARS-COV-2 Using RT-qPCR in Patients with Hematologic Neoplasms Receiving Chemotherapy

Ignacio Martín Santarelli1,2, Mariela Sierra2,3, Sofía Isabel Fernández1,2

1Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
3División de Infectología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Received October 12, 2022
Accepted January 13, 2023

It has been recommended that patients with leukaemias and lymphomas undergo universal screening for SARS-COV-2 using RT-qPCR before each treatment on the grounds of their high risk of experiencing severe forms of COVID-19. This raises a conflict with different recommendations which prioritise testing symptomatic patients. We found that among 56 RT-qPCR obtained in asymptomatic patients with hematologic neoplasms before chemotherapy administration, 2 (3.5%) were positive. A negative result did not exclude SARS-COV-2 infection in 1 patient (1.8%). It is unclear what the benefit of screening for SARS-COV-2 using RT-qPCR in patients with hematologic neoplasms who receive chemotherapy is.

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