TY - JOUR
T1 - Indications for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test for areas with low endemicity
AU - Higo, Hisao
AU - Taguchi, Yoshinori
AU - Suzaki, Noriyuki
AU - Nagata, Takuya
AU - Marukawa, Masaomi
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Edit age (www.editage.com) for English language editing.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases
PY - 2022/2
Y1 - 2022/2
N2 - Introduction: The optimal indication for the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) in areas with low endemicity for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. This study aimed to identify patients who should undergo the NAAT for COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with suspected COVID-19 who underwent NAAT between October 5, 2020, and May 31, 2021 in our institution. Results: A total of 1238 patients were enrolled and NAAT positive results were observed in 40 patients (3.2%). The NAAT positivity rate was 34.3% (23/67) in patients with a history of close contact and 1.5% (17/1171) in patients without a history of close contact. Olfactory/gustatory dysfunction and a history of stay in other prefectures were independent risk factors of COVID-19 in patients without a history of close contact. On the other hand, the NAAT positivity rate was only 0.7% (8/1073) in patients without olfactory/gustatory dysfunction and a history of stay in other prefectures. Among them, the group without respiratory symptoms/sign had only one NAAT-positive case (0.1%: 1/1073). Conclusions: This study revealed that a history of close contact, olfactory/gustatory dysfunction, and a history of stay in other prefectures are key eligibility criteria for NAAT in areas with relatively few patients with COVID-19. On the other hand, NAAT may not be necessary in cases without all of these factors and respiratory symptoms/sign.
AB - Introduction: The optimal indication for the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) in areas with low endemicity for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. This study aimed to identify patients who should undergo the NAAT for COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with suspected COVID-19 who underwent NAAT between October 5, 2020, and May 31, 2021 in our institution. Results: A total of 1238 patients were enrolled and NAAT positive results were observed in 40 patients (3.2%). The NAAT positivity rate was 34.3% (23/67) in patients with a history of close contact and 1.5% (17/1171) in patients without a history of close contact. Olfactory/gustatory dysfunction and a history of stay in other prefectures were independent risk factors of COVID-19 in patients without a history of close contact. On the other hand, the NAAT positivity rate was only 0.7% (8/1073) in patients without olfactory/gustatory dysfunction and a history of stay in other prefectures. Among them, the group without respiratory symptoms/sign had only one NAAT-positive case (0.1%: 1/1073). Conclusions: This study revealed that a history of close contact, olfactory/gustatory dysfunction, and a history of stay in other prefectures are key eligibility criteria for NAAT in areas with relatively few patients with COVID-19. On the other hand, NAAT may not be necessary in cases without all of these factors and respiratory symptoms/sign.
KW - Coronavirus disease 2019
KW - Gustatory dysfunction
KW - Nucleic acid amplification test
KW - Olfactory dysfunction
KW - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.10.029
DO - 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.10.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 34776347
AN - SCOPUS:85119261403
SN - 1341-321X
VL - 28
SP - 238
EP - 241
JO - Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy
JF - Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy
IS - 2
ER -
