| Title: |
Screening of healthcare workers for SARS-CoV-2 highlights the role of asymptomatic carriage in COVID-19 transmission |
| Authors: |
Rivett, L; Sridhar, S; Sparkes, D; Routledge, M; Jones, NK; Forrest, S; Young, J; Pereira-Dias, J; Hamilton, WL; Ferris, M; Torok, ME; Meredith, L; Collaboration, CITIID-NIHR COVID-19 BioResource; Curran, MD; Fuller, S; Chaudhry, A; Shaw, A; Samworth, RJ; Bradley, JR; Dougan, G; Smith, KG; Lehner, PJ; Matheson, NJ; Wright, G; Goodfellow, IG; Baker, S; Weekes, MP |
| Publisher Information: |
eLife Sciences Publications |
| Publication Year: |
2021 |
| Collection: |
Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) |
| Description: |
Significant differences exist in the availability of healthcare worker (HCW) SARS-CoV-2 testing between countries, and existing programmes focus on screening symptomatic rather than asymptomatic staff. Over a 3 week period (April 2020), 1032 asymptomatic HCWs were screened for SARS-CoV-2 in a large UK teaching hospital. Symptomatic staff and symptomatic household contacts were additionally tested. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect viral RNA from a throat+nose self-swab. 3% of HCWs in the asymptomatic screening group tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. 17/30 (57%) were truly asymptomatic/pauci-symptomatic. 12/30 (40%) had experienced symptoms compatible with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)>7 days prior to testing, most self-isolating, returning well. Clusters of HCW infection were discovered on two independent wards. Viral genome sequencing showed that the majority of HCWs had the dominant lineage B∙1. Our data demonstrates the utility of comprehensive screening of HCWs with minimal or no symptoms. This approach will be critical for protecting patients and hospital staff. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.58728 |
| DOI: |
10.7554/elife.58728 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.58728; https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3aa0d818-4962-43dc-8808-846ddb7dbce0 |
| Rights: |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ; CC Attribution (CC BY) |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.485A1F4 |
| Database: |
BASE |