Transcriptomic characteristics and impaired immune function of patients who retest positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has gradually become a global public health crisis. Some patients who have recovered from COVID-19 subsequently tested positive again for SARS-CoV-2 after discharge (retesting-positive, RTP). However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Here, 10 RTP patients, 6 convalescent patients, and 10 healthy controls were enrolled for analysis of the immunological characteristics of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We sought to comprehensively characterize the transcriptional changes in the three groups by transcriptome sequencing. Our findings provide insights into the impaired immune function and pathogenesis of RTP occurrence in COVID-19, which may contribute to the development of immunotherapy for RTP patients. Overall design: Here, 10 RTP patients, 6 convalescent patients, and 10 healthy controls were enrolled for analysis of the immunological characteristics of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We sought to comprehensively characterize the transcriptional changes in the three groups by transcriptome sequencing.