DNA Amplification Tests at Universal Pre-admission Screening with Enhanced Precaution Strategies for Asymptomatic Patients with COVID-19

Overview

Journal IJID Reg

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2023 Jan 9

PMID 36618878

Authors

Itaru Nakamura

Yusuke Watanabe

Hiroaki Fujita

Takehito Kobayashi

Hidehiro Watanabe

Takao Itoi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the effect of hospital pre-admission screening and enhanced precaution strategies on the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted over 17 months from 11 May 2020 to 30 September 2021 at a large hospital in Tokyo. Universal DNA amplification tests were conducted during pre-admission screening, and enhanced precaution strategies were implemented for all patients with negative admission tests. The primary outcome was the occurrence of symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients after admission. The secondary outcomes were time-series analyses of monthly positive admission test numbers, positive rates, clinical features in positive cases, and clinically confirmed nosocomial transmission.

Results: In total, 32,081 patients were screened pre-admission (29,556 asymptomatic patients and 2525 symptomatic patients). Of the asymptomatic patients, 0.11% (=32) tested positive and were admitted to a designated COVID-19 ward or were not admitted. Among the five inpatients who developed symptomatic COVID-19 during hospitalization, only two cases were related to a single nosocomial transmission.

Conclusion: Pre-admission test screening was effective in identifying asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. This allowed administrators to quarantine patients or delay hospital admission. The combination of testing and enhanced precaution strategies for asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 may minimize nosocomial transmission.

Citing Articles

Hospital oral food challenge tests in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: A nationwide survey.

Yanagida N, Sugizaki C, Sato S, Ebisawa M Clin Transl Allergy. 2023; 13(7):e12273.

PMID: 37488735 PMC: 10314275. DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12273.

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