Presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Transmission in a Skilled Nursing Facility

Abstract

Rapid and widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was demonstrated in this skilled nursing facility. More than half of residents with positive test results were asymptomatic at the time of testing and most likely contributed to transmission. Infection-control strategies focused solely on symptomatic residents were not sufficient to prevent transmission after SARS-CoV-2 introduction into this facility.

Keywords

AsymptomaticMedicineTransmission (telecommunications)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Skilled Nursing FacilityAsymptomatic carrierCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Intensive care unitEmergency medicineViral cultureInternal medicineVirologyDiseaseVirusInfectious disease (medical specialty)

MeSH Terms

AgedAged80 and overAsymptomatic DiseasesBetacoronavirusCOVID-19ComorbidityCoronavirus InfectionsCoughDisease TransmissionInfectiousDyspneaFemaleFeverGenomeViralHumansInfection ControlMalePandemicsPneumoniaViralPrevalenceReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSARS-CoV-2Skilled Nursing FacilitiesViral LoadWashington

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Publication Info

Year: 2020
Type: article
Volume: 382
Issue: 22
Pages: 2081-2090
Citations: 2264
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Jesica R. Jacobs, 
                                
                                    Joanne Taylor, 
                                
                                    Kevin B. Spicer
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (2020). 
                            Presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Transmission in a Skilled Nursing Facility. 
                            New England Journal of Medicine
                            , 382
                            (22)
                            , 2081-2090.
                            https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2008457
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1056/nejmoa2008457
PMID: 32329971
PMCID: PMC7200056

Data Quality

Data completeness: 86%