Implementation of a Prospective Index-Cluster Sampling Strategy for the Detection of Presymptomatic Viral Respiratory Infection in Undergraduate Students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Index-cluster studies may help characterize the spread of communicable infections in the presymptomatic state. We describe a prospective index-cluster sampling strategy (ICSS) to detect presymptomatic respiratory viral illness and its implementation in a college population.

Methods

We enrolled an annual cohort of first-year undergraduates who completed daily electronic symptom diaries to identify index cases (ICs) with respiratory illness. Investigators then selected 5-10 potentially exposed, asymptomatic close contacts (CCs) who were geographically co-located to follow for infections. Symptoms and nasopharyngeal samples were collected for 5 days. Logistic regression model-based predictions for proportions of self-reported illness were compared graphically for the

SUBMITTER: Uthappa DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10911223 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature