Cross-Sectional Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load by Symptom Status in Massachusetts Congregate Living Facilities. (13th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lennon, Niall J; Bhattacharyya, Roby P; Mina, Michael J; Rehm, Heidi L; Hung, Deborah T; Smole, Sandra; Woolley, Ann; Lander, Eric S; Gabriel, Stacey B
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 224:Number 10(2021)
• Page Start: 1658
• Page End: 1663
• Publication Date: 2021-07-13
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- SARS-CoV-2 -- molecular diagnostics -- viral load -- symptoms; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab367
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from people without symptoms confounds societal mitigation strategies. From April to June 2020, we tested nasopharyngeal swabs by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) from 15 514 staff and 16 966 residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Massachusetts. Cycle threshold (Ct) distributions were very similar between populations with (n = 739) and without (n = 2179) symptoms at the time of sampling (mean Ct, 25.7 vs 26.4; ranges 12–38). However, as local cases waned, those without symptoms shifted towards higher Ct. With such similar viral load distributions, existing testing modalities should perform comparably regardless of symptoms, contingent upon time since infection. Abstract : In large-scale cross-sectional testing, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral loads from residents and staff of nursing homes were similar in those with or without symptoms at the time of testing early in the pandemic, although differences emerged as the local epidemic waned.