Persistent viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 after treatment with bendamustine and rituximab: A case report

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is detectable in nasopharyngeal specimens for up to 12–20 days regardless of the presence of chronic diseases in patients. We report a case of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection that lasted for more than eight weeks. The patient had persistent lymphopenia after receiving six cycles of bendamustine and rituximab (BR) therapy for follicular lymphoma; the last chemotherapy session was completed nine months before admission. The first nasopharyngeal specimen (NPS) for the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction assay tested positive for the N501Y variant five weeks before admission. The patient's general and respiratory conditions gradually worsened; therefore, he was admitted to our hospital, and the same SARS-CoV-2 variant was subsequently identified on admission. Treatment for coronavirus disease was initiated, and the patient's condition improved; however, the NPS tested positive on day 15. The patient was discharged on day 28 and was instructed to isolate at home for a month. Hence, possible prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding should be considered in patients who receive BR therapy.