Abstract
The COVID-19 epidemic has been going on continuously for more than 1.5 years. Fast and reliable diagnosis is a key component of an outbreak response strategy. Our goal is to present the statistics from one of the diagnostic points of a large city in Poland. Swabs of the throat or nasopharynx of people reporting for molecular diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 presence were taken. CE-IVD-certified RNA isolation and RT-PCR assays were used. According to our data, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the examined population equaled 14.7%; however, large differences were observed depending on where the sampling point was located: as much as 50.3% of positive results for samples collected at a stationary point, 36.2% for samples from inpatients and hospital staff, and only 8.9% for samples from patients whose test was paid by their employer. The age structure of the infected population was fairly even, with a slightly higher number of people over 50 years of age. Men were examined more often, but it was among women that a higher percentage of infection was recorded. Every fifth test was performed for a foreigner, but compared to Poles, a much lower incidence of infection was found in these samples. We conclude that due to the high prevalence of infection in patients from social care centers and in those referred to hospitals, it is recommended that a special sanitary regime is followed in those settings. We will evaluate the effectiveness of vaccinations, expecting that the coming months bring positive changes in the statistics on prevalence.
Highlights
At the beginning of January 2020, the first scientific papers describing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) were published [1]
The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the examined population equaled 14.7%; large differences were observed depending on where the sampling point was located: as much as 50.3% of positive results for samples collected at a stationary point, 36.2% for samples from inpatients and hospital staff, and only 8.9% for samples from patients whose test was paid by their employer
SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics is based on a variety of tests; the WHO has issued a statement that suspect cases should be screened for the virus with nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), such as real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), magnetic nanoparticle (MNPs)-based methods, and others, and recommend the use of the
Summary
At the beginning of January 2020, the first scientific papers describing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) were published [1]. Our aim was to present the dynamics of the prevalence of COVID-19 during the epidemic in a large city in Central Europe as well as the profile of customers who used COVID-19 diagnostics within and outside the National Health Fund. SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics is based on a variety of tests; the WHO has issued a statement that suspect cases should be screened for the virus with nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), such as real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), magnetic nanoparticle (MNPs)-based methods, and others, and recommend the use of the. RdRp, E, N, and S genes in different combinations. Other methods, such as a serological analysis, can only be used as an aid, but do not confirm infection. We present our results from RT-PCR only, the company performed cassette antigen tests
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