Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era
Background: Since January 2022, the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in South Korea, and COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients and their guardians or caregivers have increased. We evaluated the usefulness of universal periodic screening for SARS-CoV-2 in patients and resident care...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022022964 |
| _version_ | 1828306130100551680 |
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| author | Jiwon Jung Hyejin Yang Soyeon Park Hyun-Jung Lim Sun-Kyung Kim Young-Ju Lim Eun Ok Kim Sung-Han Kim |
| author_facet | Jiwon Jung Hyejin Yang Soyeon Park Hyun-Jung Lim Sun-Kyung Kim Young-Ju Lim Eun Ok Kim Sung-Han Kim |
| author_sort | Jiwon Jung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Since January 2022, the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in South Korea, and COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients and their guardians or caregivers have increased. We evaluated the usefulness of universal periodic screening for SARS-CoV-2 in patients and resident caregivers in a South Korean tertiary care hospital. Methods: We evaluated the reason for testing in COVID-19 confirmed patients and resident caregivers during their hospitalization from March 3 to 31, 2022. The rate of positive PCR universal testing in hospital (or residency) (HD) on days 3 and 7 in asymptomatic patients and caregivers were evaluated. The test for SARS-CoV-2 was done by RT-PCR. Results: During the study period, 677 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. The reasons for testing were the symptoms (226 (33%)), pre-admission test (183 (27%)), exposure to COVID-19 (124 (18%)), universal testing on HD 3 (94 (14%)), and that on HD 7 (34 (5%)). Caregivers (n = 340) were tested during their residency due to exposure to COVID-19 cases, 103 (30%); universal testing on HD 3, 90 (26%); symptom development, 46 (14%); pre-stay, 39 (11%); and universal testing on HD 7, 29 (9%). The positive test rates of inpatients and caregivers on HD 3 and HD 7 were as follows: 1.4% (93/6553) and 2.1% (55/2646) in inpatients, and 1.3% (79/5989) and 1.7% (35/2106) in caregivers, respectively. Conclusions: Universal testing, regardless of symptom or epidemiologic link, is useful for detecting pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients and caregivers and preventing a nosocomial outbreak during the Omicron era. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:39:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a98f4611a7342e2a0f6103638fb6ec2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:39:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a98f4611a7342e2a0f6103638fb6ec22022-12-22T02:42:56ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402022-10-01810e11008Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron eraJiwon Jung0Hyejin Yang1Soyeon Park2Hyun-Jung Lim3Sun-Kyung Kim4Young-Ju Lim5Eun Ok Kim6Sung-Han Kim7Department of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Office for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaOffice for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South KoreaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Office for Infection Control, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea; Corresponding author.Background: Since January 2022, the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in South Korea, and COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients and their guardians or caregivers have increased. We evaluated the usefulness of universal periodic screening for SARS-CoV-2 in patients and resident caregivers in a South Korean tertiary care hospital. Methods: We evaluated the reason for testing in COVID-19 confirmed patients and resident caregivers during their hospitalization from March 3 to 31, 2022. The rate of positive PCR universal testing in hospital (or residency) (HD) on days 3 and 7 in asymptomatic patients and caregivers were evaluated. The test for SARS-CoV-2 was done by RT-PCR. Results: During the study period, 677 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. The reasons for testing were the symptoms (226 (33%)), pre-admission test (183 (27%)), exposure to COVID-19 (124 (18%)), universal testing on HD 3 (94 (14%)), and that on HD 7 (34 (5%)). Caregivers (n = 340) were tested during their residency due to exposure to COVID-19 cases, 103 (30%); universal testing on HD 3, 90 (26%); symptom development, 46 (14%); pre-stay, 39 (11%); and universal testing on HD 7, 29 (9%). The positive test rates of inpatients and caregivers on HD 3 and HD 7 were as follows: 1.4% (93/6553) and 2.1% (55/2646) in inpatients, and 1.3% (79/5989) and 1.7% (35/2106) in caregivers, respectively. Conclusions: Universal testing, regardless of symptom or epidemiologic link, is useful for detecting pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients and caregivers and preventing a nosocomial outbreak during the Omicron era.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022022964COVID-19SARS-CoV-2PCRUniversal screening |
| spellingShingle | Jiwon Jung Hyejin Yang Soyeon Park Hyun-Jung Lim Sun-Kyung Kim Young-Ju Lim Eun Ok Kim Sung-Han Kim Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era Heliyon COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 PCR Universal screening |
| title | Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| title_full | Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| title_fullStr | Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| title_full_unstemmed | Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| title_short | Usefulness of universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| title_sort | usefulness of universal sars cov 2 pcr testing for inpatients and their caregivers during the omicron era |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 PCR Universal screening |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022022964 |
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