SARS-CoV-2 screening strategies for returning international travellers: Evaluation of a rapid antigen test approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

International travel poses the risk of importing SARS-CoV-2 infections and introducing new viral variants into the country of destination. Established measures include mandatory quarantine with the opportunity to abbreviate it with a negative rapid antigen test (RAT).

Methods

A total of 1,488 returnees were tested for SARS-CoV-2 with both PCR and RAT no earlier than 5 days after arrival. We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of the RAT. Positive samples were evaluated for infectivity in vitro in a cell culture outgrowth assay. We tracked if participants who tested negative were reported positive within 2 weeks of the initial test.

Results

Potential infectiousness was determined based on symptom onset analysis, resulting in a sensitivity of the antigen

SUBMITTER: Layer E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8888351 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature