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. 2024 Oct 3;13(10):872.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens13100872.

A Cross-Sectional Study Revealed a Low Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Asymptomatic University Students in Tripoli, North Lebanon

Rayane Rafei  1 , Layla Tajer  1 , Dalal Nour  1   2 , Karen Abboud  1 , Dima Ankoud  1 , Marwan Osman  3 , Marielle Bedotto  4 , Mohamad Bachar Ismail  1   5 , Fouad Dabboussi  1 , Philippe Colson  2   4   6 , Monzer Hamze  1
Affiliations

A Cross-Sectional Study Revealed a Low Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Asymptomatic University Students in Tripoli, North Lebanon

Rayane Rafei et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among >18-year-old students in the Faculty of Public Health and Faculty of Sciences at the Lebanese University in Tripoli, Northern Lebanon, in June 2023 and to characterize the circulating Omicron subvariants. Out of 357 participants, only 2 (0.56%) tested positive by qPCR, corresponding to 0.61% (2/326) of asymptomatic students. One case tested positive with a qPCR targeting the Omicron BA.2 variant. These findings indicate a low incidence at that time and emphasize the interest of SARS-CoV-2 surveillance among students.

Keywords: COVID-19; Lebanon; Omicron BA.2; SARS-CoV-2; asymptomatic carriers; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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