1. The Natural History and Transmission Potential of Asymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection
- Author
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Van Vinh Chau, Nguyen, Lam, Vo Thanh, Dung, Nguyen Thanh, Yen, Lam Minh, Minh, Ngo Ngoc Quang, Hung, Le Manh, Ngoc, Nghiem My, Dung, Nguyen Tri, Man, Dinh Nguyen Huy, Nguyet, Lam Anh, Nhat, Le Thanh Hoang, Nhu, Le Nguyen Truc, Ny, Nguyen Thi Han, Hong, Nguyen Thi Thu, Kestelyn, Evelyne, Dung, Nguyen Thi Phuong, Xuan, Tran Chanh, Hien, Tran Tinh, Phong, Nguyen Thanh, Tu, Tran Nguyen Hoang, Geskus, Ronald B, Thanh, Tran Tan, Truong, Nguyen Thanh, Binh, Nguyen Tan, Thuong, Tang Chi, Thwaites, Guy, Van Tan, Le, Loan, Huynh Thi, Van Hao, Nguyen, Thuy, Duong Bich, Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong, Thoa, Pham Thi Ngoc, Thao, Tran Nguyen Phuong, Phuong, Tran Thi Lan, Uyen, Le Thi Tam, Tam, Tran Thi Thanh, That, Bui Thi Ton, Nhung, Huynh Kim, Tai, Ngo Tan, Vuong, Vo Trong, Ty, Dinh Thi Bich, Dung, Le Thi, Uyen, Thai Lam, Tien, Nguyen Thi My, Thao, Ho Thi Thu, Thao, Nguyen Ngoc, Vuong, Huynh Ngoc Thien, Thao, Pham Ngoc Phuong, Phuong, Phan Minh, Tam, Dong Thi Hoai, Joseph, Donovan, Geskus, Ronald, van Doorn, H Rogier, Van Hien, Ho, Huy, Huynh Le Anh, Ha, Huynh Ngan, Yen, Huynh Xuan, Van Nuil, Jennifer, Day, Jeremy, Donovan, Joseph, Lawson, Katrina, Odette, Sonia Lewycka, Thwaites, Louise, Rabaa, Maia, Choisy, Marc, Chambers, Mary, Rahman, Motiur, Hoa, Ngo Thi, Nhien, Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Tuyen, Nguyen Thi Kim, Truong, Nguyen Xuan, Khanh, Phan Nguyen Quoc, Yen, Phung Le Kim, Yacoub, Sophie, Kesteman, Thomas, Thuong, Nguyen Thuy Thuong, Hang, Vu Thi Ty, and Nga, Le Hong
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Microbiology (medical) ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Saliva ,coronaviruses ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Infections ,Asymptomatic ,Virus ,03 medical and health sciences ,COVID-19 (Disease) ,0302 clinical medicine ,Internal medicine ,Throat ,Major Article ,medicine ,Humans ,Prospective Studies ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Prospective cohort study ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,pandemic ,COVID-19 ,3. Good health ,Natural history ,AcademicSubjects/MED00290 ,030104 developmental biology ,Infectious Diseases ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Vietnam ,RNA, Viral ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Viral load - Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known about the natural history of asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study at a quarantine center for coronavirus disease 2019 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We enrolled quarantined people with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)–confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, collecting clinical data, travel and contact history, and saliva at enrollment and daily nasopharyngeal/throat swabs (NTSs) for RT-PCR testing. We compared the natural history and transmission potential of asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.ResultsBetween 10 March and 4 April 2020, 14 000 quarantined people were tested for SARS-CoV-2; 49 were positive. Of these, 30 participated in the study: 13 (43%) never had symptoms and 17 (57%) were symptomatic. Seventeen (57%) participants imported cases. Compared with symptomatic individuals, asymptomatic people were less likely to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 in NTS collected at enrollment (8/13 [62%] vs 17/17 [100%]; P = .02). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 20 of 27 (74%) available saliva samples (7 of 11 [64%] in the asymptomatic group and 13 of 16 [81%] in the symptomatic group; P = .56). Analysis of RT-PCR positivity probability showed that asymptomatic participants had faster viral clearance than symptomatic participants (P ConclusionsAsymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is common and can be detected by analysis of saliva or NTSs. The NTS viral loads fall faster in asymptomatic individuals, but these individuals appear able to transmit the virus to others.
- Published
- 2020