Characteristics and management of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused and is still causing tremendous morbidity, mortality, and damage to our societies. The disease course of COVID-19 can be unpredictable ranging from asymptomatic infections to multi-organ failure and death. Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) from an asymptomatic infected individual to others has been observed early in the pandemic. Asymptomatic individuals have been shown to have quantitative SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, there may or may not be radiological and/or laboratory abnormalities. No antiviral therapy has been approved for the treatment of asymptomatic SARS-CoV2- infection. The management of asymptomatic individuals at home requires that the person can be monitored for any signs and symptoms of deterioration and that the requirements for infection prevention and control measures can be fulfilled. It is crucial to properly diagnose and manage asymptomatic COVID-19 cases with effective testing, contact tracing, quarantine, and isolation strategies. Preventing asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections that have a major role in the unhindered transmission of the virus is a milestone to take control of the pandemic. Vaccination has been proven to be the crucial pillar for preventing asymptomatic infections and real-life data will continue to exhibit the effects of community vaccination in breaking the transmission chain of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2: The gradual boom of lateral flow immunoassay

“…After infection with SARS-CoV-2, an immune response occurs in the human body to produce immunoglobulins corresponding to the antigen. Studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious ( Harrison et al, 2020 ), and the production of variants ( Harvey et al, 2021 ; Tao et al, 2021 ) and the increase in asymptomatic infections ( Johansson et al, 2021 ; Tanriover et al, 2021 ) have growth its transmission rate. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 affects multiple organs, as ACE2 is present in large numbers in human lung and small intestine epithelial cells, making the respiratory ( Mandal et al, 2021 ; Stavem et al, 2021 ) and digestive ( Aiyegbusi et al, 2021 ) systems susceptible to viral attack and disease, and it has also been documented that ACE2 is also expressed in the bile ducts, thus predisposing to liver injury ( Hamming et al, 2004 ; Yang et al, 2020 ).…”

Levels of SARS-COV-2 anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) IgG in Indonesian-vaccinated healthcare workers: experimental research

“…Vaccination has been crucial in preventing asymptomatic infections. Real-life data continue to demonstrate the effects of community vaccination in breaking the transmission chain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 2 . The Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for five commercial COVID-19 vaccine products, including CoronaVac produced by Bio Farma, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Zifivax 3 .…”

A How to Guide: Clinical Population Test Development and Authorization of MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometry-Based Screening Tests for Viral Infections

“…LFTs' limited ability to reliably detect infection in asymptomatic carriers or most pre-symptomatic infections is their greatest weakness. Thus, their widespread use as a population-based test to prevent contact spread is questionable [4][5][6][7].…”