Symptom Criteria for COVID‐19 Testing of Heath Care Workers

Clemency, Brian M.; Varughese, Renoj; Scheafer, Danielle K; Ludwig, B; Welch, Jacob; McCormack, Robert F.; Ma, Changxing; Nan, Nan; Giambra, Theresa; Raab, Thomas A.

doi:10.1111/acem.14009

Cited by 75 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Our results agree with Clemency et al [23] concerning the diagnostic characteristics of symptoms (high specificity and negative predictive value) for anosmia and ageusia. We found the level of sensitivity similar to that reported by Brandstetter et al (51.6% for anosmia) [15] and higher to those reported by Lan et al (15.6% for anosmia/ageusia) [12] and Wee et al (22.7% for olfactory and taste disorders) [24].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…We found the level of sensitivity similar to that reported by Brandstetter et al (51.6% for anosmia) [15] and higher to those reported by Lan et al (15.6% for anosmia/ageusia) [12] and Wee et al (22.7% for olfactory and taste disorders) [24]. Regarding specificity concerns, our results are similar to those reported by Lan et al (97%) [12], Brandstetter et al (97.6%) [15], and Wee et al (99.7%) [23]. PPV and NPV in our study were quite high.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

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Anosmia and Ageusia as Predictive Signs of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers in Italy: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Torre

Massetti

Antonelli

et al. 2020

JCM

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Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of symptoms and signs in healthcare workers (HCW) with Sars-CoV-2. Methods: This was a case-control study. Cases consisted of symptomatic healthcare workers who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, while controls were symptomatic healthcare workers with a negative RT-PCR test. For each symptom, ROCs were plotted. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated using the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. A logistic regression analysis was carried out for calculating the OR (95% CI) for each symptom associated to the SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Results: We recruited 30 cases and 75 controls. Fever had the best sensitivity while dyspnea, anosmia, and ageusia had the highest specificity. The highest PPVs were found again for dyspnea (75%), anosmia (73.7%), and ageusia (66.7%). Lastly, the highest NPVs were related to anosmia (81.4%) and ageusia (79.3%). Anosmia (OR = 14.75; 95% CI: 4.27–50.87), ageusia (OR = 9.18; 95% CI: 2.80–30.15), and headache (OR = 3.92; 95% CI: 1.45–10.56) are significantly associated to SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Conclusions: Anosmia and ageusia should be considered in addition to the well-established fever, cough, and dyspnea. In a resource-limited setting, this method could save time and money.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Anosmia and Ageusia as Predictive Signs of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers in Italy: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Torre

Massetti

Antonelli

et al. 2020

JCM

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“…Further, in the UK, a screening program on asymptomatic HWs in a teaching hospital swabbed and tested by RT-PCR was carried out, and 3% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection [26], thus keeping in step with our results. On the other hand, a study on SARS-CoV-2 testing in HWs found a symptoms-related performance of diagnosis by RT-PCR [27]; therefore, great attention must be paid to which symptoms should be taken into account for building the screening decisional algorithm. Taken together, these data suggest that proactive molecular screening strategies including asymptomatic as well as symptomatic HWs should be a priority at the national and international levels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Sars-Cov-2 Infection in Health Workers (HWs) and Diagnostic Test Performance: The Experience of a Teaching Hospital in Central Italy

Lahner

Dilaghi

Prestigiacomo

et al. 2020

IJERPH

111

116

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(1) Background: Health workers (HWs) are at high risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infections. Therefore, health authorities further recommend screening strategies for SARS-CoV-2 infection in exposed or high-risk HWs. Nevertheless, to date, the best/optimal method to screen HWs for SARS-CoV-2 infection is still under debate, and data on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HWs are still scarce. The present study aims to assess the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate amongst HWs in a teaching hospital in Central Italy and the diagnostic performance of SARS-CoV-2 serology (index test) in comparison with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA PCR assay (reference standard). (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study on the retrospective data of HWs tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RNA-RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs and by an IgM/IgG serology assay on venous blood samples, irrespective of exposure and/or symptoms, was carried out. (3) Results: A total of 2057 HWs (median age 46, 19–69 years, females 60.2%) were assessed by the RNA RT-PCR assay and 58 (2.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared with negative HWs, SARS-CoV-2-positives were younger (mean age 41.7 versus 45.2, p < 0.01; 50% versus 31% under or equal to 40 years old, p < 0.002) and had a shorter duration of employment (64 versus 125 months, p = 0.02). Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was more frequent in positive HWs than in negatives (55.2% versus 27.5%, p < 0.0001). In 44.8% of positive HWs, no exposure was traced. None of the positive HWs had a fatal outcome, none of them had acute respiratory distress syndrome, and only one required hospitalization for mild/moderate pneumonia. In 1084 (51.2%) HWs, nasopharyngeal swabs and an IgM/IgG serology assay were performed. With regard to IgM serology, sensitivity was 0% at a specificity of 98.99% (positive predictive value, PPV 0%, negative predictive value, NPV 99.2%). Concerning IgG serology and irrespective of the time interval between nasopharyngeal swab and serology, sensitivity was 50% at a specificity of 99.1% (PPV 28.6%, NPV 99.6%). IgG serology showed a higher diagnostic performance when performed at least two weeks after testing SARS-CoV-2-positive at the RNA RT-PCR assay by a nasopharyngeal swab. (4) Conclusions: Our experience in Central Italy demonstrated a low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst HWs, but higher than in the general population. Nearly half of the positive HWs reported no previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2-infected subjects and were diagnosed thanks to the proactive screening strategy implemented. IgG serology seems useful when performed at least two weeks after an RNA RT-PCR assay. IgM serology does not seem to be a useful test for the diagnosis of active SARS-CoV-2 infection. High awareness of SARS-CoV-2 infection is mandatory for all people, but especially for HWs, irrespective of symptoms, to safeguard their health and that of patients.

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“…the patient will be considered as a probable case, therefore isolation and study of contacts will be indicated. Although there are no specific symptoms and signs of SC2 infection, the frequency of clinical manifestations in the different published series makes it possible to classify the symptoms and signs that in adults better predict the probability of positivity in a screening test for SC2 (Table 2) [33,34].…”

Section: Algorithms On the Implementation Of Microbiological Techniqumentioning

confidence: 99%

Recommendations for use of antigenic tests in the diagnosis of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in the second pandemic wave: attitude in different clinical settings

Candel

Barreiro²,

Román³

et al. 2020

Rev Esp Quimioter

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The high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 before and shortly after the onset of symptoms suggests that only diagnosing and isolating symptomatic patients may not be sufficient to interrupt the spread of infection; therefore, public health measures such as personal distancing are also necessary. Additionally, it will be important to detect the newly infected individuals who remain asymptomatic, which may account for 50% or more of the cases. Molecular techniques are the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the massive use of these techniques has generated some problems. On the one hand, the scarcity of resources (analyzers, fungibles and reagents), and on the other the delay in the notification of results. These two facts translate into a lag in the application of isolation measures among cases and contacts, which favors the spread of the infection. Antigen detection tests are also direct diagnostic methods, with the advantage of obtaining the result in a few minutes and at the very “pointof-care”. Furthermore, the simplicity and low cost of these tests allow them to be repeated on successive days in certain clinical settings. The sensitivity of antigen tests is generally lower than that of nucleic acid tests, although their specificity is comparable. Antigenic tests have been shown to be more valid in the days around the onset of symptoms, when the viral load in the nasopharynx is higher. Having a rapid and real-time viral detection assay such as the antigen test has been shown to be more useful to control the spread of the infection than more sensitive tests, but with greater cost and response time, such as in case of molecular tests. The main health institutions such as the WHO, the CDC and the Ministry of Health of the Government of Spain propose the use of antigenic tests in a wide variety of strategies to respond to the pandemic. This document aims to support physicians involved in the care of patients with suspected SC2 infection, in the context of a growing incidence in Spain since September 2020, which already represents the second pandemic wave of COVID-19.

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Symptom Criteria for COVID‐19 Testing of Heath Care Workers

Cited by 75 publications

References 21 publications

Anosmia and Ageusia as Predictive Signs of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers in Italy: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Anosmia and Ageusia as Predictive Signs of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers in Italy: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Prevalence of Sars-Cov-2 Infection in Health Workers (HWs) and Diagnostic Test Performance: The Experience of a Teaching Hospital in Central Italy

Recommendations for use of antigenic tests in the diagnosis of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in the second pandemic wave: attitude in different clinical settings

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