SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence in people experiencing homelessness.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci
; 25(20): 6425-6430, 2021 Oct.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34730224
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
People experiencing homelessness have peculiar characteristics that make them more vulnerable to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and to more serious forms of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the homeless population assisted by the primary care services of the Eleemosynaria Apostolica, Vatican City. PATIENTS ANDMETHODS:
Persons experiencing homelessness and the volunteers assisting them were tested for COVID-19 through PCR and antigen rapid test between October 1st, 2020, and June 5th, 2021, in the clinical facilities of the Eleemosynaria Apostolica.RESULTS:
A total of 1665 subjects from 96 different countries in five continents were included in the study; age range was 1-90 years. Overall, 2315 COVID-19 tests through nasopharyngeal swab were performed; 1052 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests and 1263 antigen rapid tests. Nearly 40% of the subjects underwent both tests (n=650, 39.04%), 402 were tested with PCR test only (24.14%) and 613 with antigen test only (36.8%). PCR tests were negative in 966 cases and positive in 86 (8.17%), while antigen tests were negative in 1205 cases and positive in 58 (4.59%). The number of positive cases varied over time, with a drastic increase during the winter months of 2020 and a progressive decrease over 2021. Among positive cases, 24.41% were symptomatic; symptoms included fever, breathing difficulties, anosmia/hyposmia, cough, headache, and diarrhea.CONCLUSIONS:
This study reported an overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in our sample slightly above 8%. Additional data on viral genome through sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in positive cases are of utmost importance to help identify variants and implement specific infection control measures.
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Ill-Housed Persons
/
Polymerase Chain Reaction
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SARS-CoV-2
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COVID-19
Type of study:
Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Aged80
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Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Infant
/
Male
Language:
En
Year:
2021
Type:
Article