Key study findings and message ICU patients more likely to have anorexia and abdominal pain (P < 0.001, P = 0.02) GI symptoms less common • Presence of GI symptoms not associated with stool RNA positivity
• Fecal transmission possible • Patients with GI symptoms had longer interval from symptom onset to admission (P = 0.013)
• GI symptoms worsened with severity of disease
• Patients with GI symptoms more likely to get antibiotics (P = 0.018)
• No association presence of GI symptoms with total hospital stay, ICU days or mortality • Presence of GI symptoms not associated with stool positivity
• Prolonged fecal viral shedding up to 5 weeks
• Disease severity not associated with prolonged fecal viral shedding
• Fecal transmission possible