Long-term application of hydroxychloroquine could not prevent the infection of COVID-19

Yin Zhu; Yongping Chen; Yuewen  Gong; Aijun Pan; Huijie Ding; Jianjiang Fang; Biyun Yu; Boding Wang; Chunhai Ke; Lanman Xu

doi:10.3855/jidc.13527

Long-term application of hydroxychloroquine could not prevent the infection of COVID-19

Authors

Yin Zhu Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Yongping Chen Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, The Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Control for The Development of Chronic Liver Disease of Zhejiang Province, China
Yuewen Gong College of Pharmacy and Section of Hepatology of Department of Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Canada
Aijun Pan Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Huijie Ding Department of Emergency, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Jianjiang Fang Department of Emergency, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Biyun Yu Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Boding Wang Department of Neurosurgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Chunhai Ke Department of Orthopaedics, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China
Lanman Xu Department of Infectious Diseases and Liver Diseases, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.13527

Keywords:

COVID-19, case report, hydroxychloroquine, treatment, prevention

Abstract

Introduction: Current pandemic of the coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents an urgent issue to the world due to lack of vaccine and medication. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has generated a lot of controversies whether it is effective in prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Current report presents a 63-year-old woman who has taken HCQ for many years but still infected by COVID-19.

Case presentation: A patient with rheumatoid arthritis came to the clinic with fever and sore throat. The patient has been treated with 200 mg HCQ per day since 2016. Laboratory tests showed that the patient had lymphopenia, increased levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Chest radiography showed that the patient had pneumonia. Throat swab test confirmed COVID-19 positive. On admission, she was treated with nebulized interferon alfa-2b, oral Lopinavir/Ritonavir, and ceftriaxone sodium for the COVID-19 in addition to HCQ. The patient stayed in hospital for 18 days, recovered from oxygen intake, and eventually discharged from hospital. Follow up investigation showed the patient developed antibody against COVID-19.

Conclusions: Long-term application of HCQ could not prevent COVID-19 infection, but whether HCQ exerts benefit to alleviation of clinical symptoms and duration of hospital stays remains to be further investigated.

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Zhu Y, Chen Y, Gong Y, Pan A, Ding H, Fang J, Yu B, Wang B, Ke C, Xu L (2020) Long-term application of hydroxychloroquine could not prevent the infection of COVID-19. J Infect Dev Ctries 14:1368–1373. doi: 10.3855/jidc.13527

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Issue

Vol. 14 No. 12: December 2020

Section

Coronavirus Pandemic

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