Universität zu Köln

Reichert, Friedrich, Enninger, Axel, Plecko, Thomas, Zoller, Wolfram G. and Paul, Gregor ORCID: 0000-0002-1075-4362 (2021). Pooled SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests in asymptomatic children and their caregivers: Screening for SARS-CoV-2 in a pediatric emergency department. Am. J. Infect. Control, 49 (10). S. 1242 - 1247. NEW YORK: MOSBY-ELSEVIER. ISSN 1527-3296

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Abstract

Background: Universal admission screening for SARS-CoV-2 in children and their caregivers (CG) is critical to prevent hospital outbreaks. We evaluated pooled SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests (AG) to identify infectious indi-viduals while waiting for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. Methods: This single-center study was performed from November 5, 2020 to March 1, 2021. Nasal mid-turbi-nate and oropharyngeal swabbing for AG and PCR testing was performed in children with 2 individual swabs that were simultaneously inserted. Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from their CG. AG swabs were pooled in a single extraction buffer tube and PCR swabs in a single viral medium. Results from an adult popu-lation were used for comparison, as no pooled testing was performed. Results: During the study period, 710 asymptomatic children and their CG were admitted. Pooled AG sensi-tivity and specificity was 75% and 99.4% respectively for detection of infectious individuals. Four false nega-tives were observed, though 3 out of 4 false negative child-CG pairs were not considered infectious at admission. Unpooled AG testing in an adult population showed a comparable sensitivity and specificity of 50% and 99.7%. AG performed significantly better in samples with lower Ct values in the corresponding PCR (32.3 vs 21, P-value < .001). Conclusions: Pooled SARS-CoV-2 AGs are an effective method to identify potentially contagious individuals prior admission, without adding additional strain to the child. (c) 2021 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Reichert, Friedrich UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Enninger, Axel UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Plecko, Thomas UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Zoller, Wolfram G. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Paul, Gregor UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-1075-4362 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-580730
DOI:	10.1016/j.ajic.2021.07.009
Journal or Publication Title:	Am. J. Infect. Control
Volume:	49
Number:	10
Page Range:	S. 1242 - 1247
Date:	2021
Publisher:	MOSBY-ELSEVIER
Place of Publication:	NEW YORK
ISSN:	1527-3296
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Infectious Diseases Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/58073