1. Characteristics and Timing of Initial Virus Shedding in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Utah, USA
- Author
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Michelle Banks, Jacqueline E. Tate, Christopher J. Gregory, Elizabeth A. Dietrich, Tair Kiphibane, Nathaniel M. Lewis, Scott A Nabity, Azaibi Tamin, Kimberly Christensen, Almea Matanock, Jared R. Rispens, Jennifer L Harcourt, Angela Dunn, Victoria L. Fields, Aron J. Hall, Hannah L Kirking, Perrine Marcenac, Lindsey M. Duca, and Sarah Willardson
- Subjects
Male ,Time Factors ,Epidemiology ,Expedited ,lcsh:Medicine ,SARS virus ,0302 clinical medicine ,reverse transcription PCR ,Hygiene ,Utah ,Medicine ,Infection control ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Child ,media_common ,Family Characteristics ,Transmission (medicine) ,Middle Aged ,Infectious Diseases ,Specimen collection ,coronavirus disease ,Synopsis ,Female ,severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ,Microbiology (medical) ,Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,030231 tropical medicine ,virus shedding ,lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases ,Specimen Handling ,03 medical and health sciences ,respiratory infections ,Internal medicine ,Disease Transmission, Infectious ,Humans ,lcsh:RC109-216 ,viruses ,Symptom onset ,Positive test ,Viral shedding ,Infection Control ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,lcsh:R ,COVID-19 ,Environmental Exposure ,zoonoses ,business ,Characteristics and Timing of Initial Virus Shedding in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Utah, USA - Abstract
Virus shedding in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can occur before onset of symptoms; less is known about symptom progression or infectiousness associated with initiation of viral shedding. We investigated household transmission in 5 households with daily specimen collection for 5 consecutive days starting a median of 4 days after symptom onset in index patients. Seven contacts across 2 households implementing no precautionary measures were infected. Of these 7, 2 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription PCR on day 3 of 5. Both had mild, nonspecific symptoms for 1-3 days preceding the first positive test. SARS-CoV-2 was cultured from the fourth-day specimen in 1 patient and from the fourth- and fifth-day specimens in the other. We also describe infection control measures taken in the households that had no transmission. Persons exposed to SARS-CoV-2 should self-isolate, including from household contacts, wear a mask, practice hand hygiene, and seek testing promptly.
- Published
- 2021