Assessment of Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Testing with Lateral Flow Immunoassay among Asymptomatic Healthcare..

The extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19), a global pandemic (SARS-CoV-2). Although reverse transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) remains the gold standard for diagnosis, it is not widely available. Serologic testing is thought to be a faster way of detecting people who may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and formed antibodies to it.

Methodology: Using rapid antibody testing, this was an ambirectional observational study to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 infection among asymptomatic healthcare workers in Makati Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in the Philippines.

Results : The research enlisted the participation of 1557 asymptomatic healthcare staff. The vast majority belonged to the paramedical profession (52 percent ). Twenty (1.3%) healthcare staff tested positive for IgM, while 17 (1.1%) tested positive for IgG. Both antibodies were found in three healthcare workers (0.2 percent). Participants who tested positive for either IgM or IgG after being quarantined were substantially more likely than those who tested negative for both antibodies (55 percent, 33.3 percent, 41.2 percent vs 28.5 percent, p = 0.036). Diabetes patients were 6.8 times more likely to be IgM positive and IgG negative (p=0.001). Furthermore, diabetics were more likely (13.6 times) to test positive in both studies (p).

Conclusion: The prevalence of COVID-19 infection among Makati Medical Center healthcare staff was low (2.6 percent). Diabetes mellitus, history of exposure, and history of quarantine were all risk factors for COVID-19 infection among those who had a positive serologic examination.

Please see the link - https://www.journalajrid.com/index.php/AJRID/article/view/30177