Outbreak or pseudo-outbreak? Integrating SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to validate infection control practices in a dialysis facility.
Am J Infect Control
; 49(10): 1232-1236, 2021 10.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34375700
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a particularly high risk for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients so rapid identification of case clusters in ESRD facilities is essential. Nevertheless, with high community prevalence, a series of ESRD patients may test positive contemporaneously for reasons unrelated to their shared ESRD facility. Here we describe a series of 5 cases detected within 11 days in November 2020 in a hospital-based 32-station ESRD facility in Southwest Wisconsin, the subsequent facility-wide testing, and the use of genetic sequence analysis to evaluate links between cases.METHODS:
Four patient cases and one staff case were identified in symptomatic individuals by RT-PCR. Facility-wide screening was conducted using rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained from residual diagnostic specimens.RESULTS:
Facility-wide screening of 47 staff and 107 patients identified no additional cases. Residual specimens from 4 of 5 cases were available for genetic sequencing. Clear genetic differences proved that these contemporaneous cases were not linked.CONCLUSIONS:
With high community prevalence, epidemiological data alone is insufficient to deem a case cluster an outbreak. Cluster evaluation with genomic data, when available with a short turn-around time, can play an important role in infection prevention and control response programs.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article