SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid tests and universal screening for COVID-19 Omicron variant among hospitalized children

Autor: Kai-Qian Kam, Matthias Maiwald, Chia Yin Chong, Koh Cheng Thoon, Karen Donceras Nadua, Liat Hui Loo, null Yelen, Natalie Woon Hui Tan, Jiahui Li, Chee Fu Yung
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: American Journal of Infection Control. 51:255-260
ISSN: 0196-6553
Popis: Clinical utility of universal antigen rapid test (ART) in the pediatric setting is unknown. We aimed to assess the performance and utility of universal ART in hospitalized children (≥5-year-old) to prevent nosocomial COVID-19 transmission.Cross-sectional study involving all hospitalized pediatric patients aged ≥5-year-old from 2 periods during Omicron wave. Clinical data, ART and polymerase chain reaction test results were collected.A total of 444 patients were included from the 2 study periods, and 416 patients (93.7%) had concordant results between ART and polymerase chain reaction. The overall sensitivity and specificity of ART were 83.3% (95% CI: 75.2-89.3) and 97.5% (95% CI: 95.0-98.8), respectively. Negative predictive values of ART between the Omicron emergence and Omicron peak periods for a probable case group were 71.4% and 66.7%, respectively, and for a suspect case group 91.4% and 75.0%, respectively. Negative predictive values for an unlikely case group was95% in both periods. Positive predictive value of ART was85% for probable and suspect case groups in both periods. Seventy-five percent of patients (n = 15) who were incorrectly classified as SARS-CoV-2 negative by ART had potentially viable virus. No large nosocomial transmission clusters were detected.Universal ART screening may limit nosocomial outbreaks in hospitalized children. The performance can be optimized by considering clinical symptoms, exposure and periods within COVID waves.
Databáze: OpenAIRE