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Multicenter Study
. 2020 Sep;81(3):427-434.
doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.06.069. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Snapshot PCR surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in hospital staff in England

Colin S Brown  1 , Kathryn Clare  2 , Meera Chand  2 , Julie Andrews  3 , Cressida Auckland  4 , Sarah Beshir  5 , Saher Choudhry  6 , Kerrie Davies  6 , Jane Freeman  7 , Andrew Gallini  5 , Rachel Moores  8 , Trupti Patel  3 , Gosia Poznalska  4 , Alison Rodger  9 , Stella Roberts  4 , Christopher Rooney  7 , Mark Wilcox  7 , Simon Warren  10 , Joanna Ellis  2 , Robin Gopal  2 , Jake Dunning  11 , Maria Zambon  2 , Susan Hopkins  2
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Snapshot PCR surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in hospital staff in England

Colin S Brown et al. J Infect. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Significant nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated. Understanding the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 carriage amongst HCWs at work is necessary to inform the development of HCW screening programmes to control nosocomial spread.

Methods: Cross-sectional 'snapshot' survey from April-May 2020; HCWs recruited from six UK hospitals. Participants self-completed a health questionnaire and underwent a combined viral nose and throat swab, tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 with viral culture on majority of positive samples.

Findings: Point prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 carriage across the sites was 2.0% (23/1152 participants), median cycle threshold value 35.70 (IQR:32.42-37.57). 17 were previously symptomatic, two currently symptomatic (isolated anosmia and sore throat); the remainder declared no prior or current symptoms. Symptoms in the past month were associated with threefold increased odds of testing positive (aOR 3.46, 95%CI 1.38-8.67; p = 0.008). SARS-CoV-2 virus was isolated from only one (5%) of nineteen cultured samples. A large proportion (39%) of participants reported symptoms in the past month.

Interpretation: The point-prevalence is similar to previous estimates for HCWs in April 2020, though a magnitude higher than in the general population. Based upon interpretation of symptom history and testing results including viral culture, the majority of those testing positive were unlikely to be infectious at time of sampling. Development of screening programmes must balance the potential to identify additional cases based upon likely prevalence, expanding the symptoms list to encourage HCW testing, with resource implications and risks of excluding those unlikely to be infectious with positive tests.

Funding: Public Health England.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest Eight of the authors have either substantive or honorary contracts with PHE, the study funder.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Proportion of individuals reporting symptoms in the last month by SARS-CoV-2 PCR status and symptom * 438 people reported symptoms within the last month, including two of the three HCW who did not have a swab sent, therefore 436 in total are presented in this figure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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