Presymptomatic Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Among Residents and Staff at a Skilled Nursing Facility: Results of Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Serologic Testing

Scott A Goldberg; Jochen Lennerz; Michael Klompas; Eden Mark; Virginia M Pierce; Ryan W Thompson; Charles T Pu; Lauren L Ritterhouse; Anand Dighe; Eric S Rosenberg; David C Grabowski

doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa991

Presymptomatic Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Among Residents and Staff at a Skilled Nursing Facility: Results of Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Serologic Testing

Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 16;72(4):686-689. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa991.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
² Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
³ Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁵ Population Health Management, Partners HealthCare, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁷ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Abstract

High rates of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 infection suggest benefits to routine testing in congregate care settings. Screening was undertaken in a single nursing facility without a known case of coronavirus disease 2019, demonstrating an 85% prevalence among residents and 37% among staff. Serology was not helpful in identifying infections.

Keywords: serology; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; skilled nursing facility.

MeSH terms

Asymptomatic Infections
COVID-19*
Humans
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
SARS-CoV-2*
Skilled Nursing Facilities