Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is not detected in the vagina: A prospective study

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253072
• Publication Date: 2021-09-30T17:55:44Z
• Authors: Ozguc Takmaz; Eren Kaya; Burak Erdi; Gozde Unsal; Pari Sharifli; Nihat Bugra Agaoglu; Esra Ozbasli; Serap Gencer; Mete Gungor
• Keywords: Adult; Science; Immunology; Infectious disease (medical specialty); Respiratory system; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Health Sciences; Humans; Disease; Prospective Studies; Immunological Mechanisms in Pregnancy and Fetal-Maternal Interface; Internal medicine; Immunology and Microbiology; SARS-CoV-2; Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Pregnancy Outcomes; FOS: Clinical medicine; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Q; R; COVID-19; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Life Sciences; Pneumonia; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Coronavirus; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Oncology; Prospective cohort study; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing; Vagina; Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Patients and Care; Medicine; Female; Surgery; Research Article

Objective To determine whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is present in the vagina of women diagnosed with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

Study design The study was conducted prospectively in a university affiliated hospital. Forty-one women of reproductive age whose nasopharyngeal PCR test were positive for SARS-CoV-2 and clinically diagnosed with pneumonia were included in the study. Vaginal swabs were obtained for SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests when the patients were admitted to the inpatient service before pneumonia treatment was initiated.

Results Vaginal swab samples of 38 patients were analysed with SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests. None of the vaginal swabs were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 does not infect the vagina of women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.