Abstract
PurposeSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replicates predominantly in the upper respiratory tract and is primarily transmitted by droplets and aerosols. Taking the medical history for typical COVID-19 symptoms and PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 testing have become established as screening procedures. The aim of this work was to describe the clinical appearance of SARS-CoV-2-PCR positive patients and to determine the SARS-CoV-2 contact risk for health care workers (HCW).MethodsThe retrospective study included n = 2283 SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests from n = 1725 patients with otorhinolaryngological (ORL) diseases performed from March to November 2020 prior to inpatient treatment. In addition, demographic data and medical history were assessed.Resultsn = 13 PCR tests (0.6%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The positive rate showed a significant increase during the observation period (p < 0.01). None of the patients had clinical symptoms that led to a suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 before PCR testing. The patients were either asymptomatic (n = 4) or had symptoms that were interpreted as symptoms typical of the ORL disease or secondary diagnoses (n = 9).ConclusionThe identification of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients is a considerable challenge in clinical practice. Our findings illustrate that taking a medical history alone is of limited value and cannot replace molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing, especially for patients with ORL diseases. Our data also demonstrate that there is a high probability of contact with SARS-CoV-2-positive patients in everyday clinical practice, so that the use of personal protective equipment, even in apparently “routine cases”, is highly recommended.
Highlights
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide since the first documented cases in late December 2019 in China [1]
The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, is primarily an acute inflammation of the respiratory system, that can affect various other organs [4, 5] and in addition could lead to long-term sequelae (‘Long-COVID’) [6]
Our data confirms an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the fall of 2020
Summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide since the first documented cases in late December 2019 in China [1]. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), is primarily an acute inflammation of the respiratory system, that can affect various other organs [4, 5] and in addition could lead to long-term sequelae (‘Long-COVID’) [6]. The subgroup of patients who are asymptomatic but still infectious represents a significant risk to spread the infection [8]. This applies especially to otolaryngologists who are exposed to infectious droplets and aerosols during ORL patient examination [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
