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. 2022 Mar;41(3):445-454.
doi: 10.1007/s10096-021-04345-9. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Paris/Ile-de-France area

Christine Katlama  1   2 , Yasmine Dudoit  3 , Julien Huyard  4 , Christine Blanc  3 , Cathia Soulié  5 , Luminita Schneider  3 , Antoine Faycal  3 , Ludovic Lenclume  3 , Naima Hamani  3 , Naoual Qatib  3 , Roland Tubiana  3 , Sophie Seang  3 , Baptiste Sellem  3 , Dominique Costagliola  4 , Romain Palich  3 , Marc-Antoine Valantin  3 , Lambert Assoumou  4
Affiliations

Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Paris/Ile-de-France area

Christine Katlama et al. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

This st udy aims to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in locked-down family households to determine viral dynamics and immunity acquisition. COVID-19 individuals and their households in lockdown under the same roof during early spring 2020 were interviewed and tested using rapid immunochromatographic lateral flow antibodies assays (LFA) between July and September 2020. Outcomes were secondary infection rate (SIR) among contacts, household infection rate, and predictors of transmission. We enrolled 87 households including 87 COVID-19 index cases (female 78.2%; median age: 47.0 years, IQR: 42.0-51.5) and 255 contacts (males: 52.9%; median age: 19.0 years, IQR: 11.0-43.5) consisting of their children (42%) or spouses/partners (28.2%). A total of 95/255 contacts were SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive leading to a SIR of 37.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 31.3-43.5%). Viral transmission was observed in 54 households (62%). SARS-CoV-2 infection was asymptomatic in 33/95 (34.7%) of SARS-CoV-2-positive contacts. Independent predictors of virus transmission from index to contacts were housing surface area < 60 m2 (OR: 5.6 [1.1; 28.2] and a four-member family compared to five (OR: 3.6 [1.2; 10.3]). Households represent a high-risk setting for SARS-CoV-2 transmission through close contact within the family amplified by the number of family members and the housing surface area.

Keywords: Healthcare workers; Household transmission; SARS-CoV-2 antibodies; SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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