Clinical and laboratory characteristics of symptomatic healthcare workers with suspected COVID-19: a prospective cohort study
Antonin Bal, Karen Brengel‐Pesce, Alexandre Gaymard, Grégory Quéromès, Nicolas Guibert, Émilie Frobert, Maude Bouscambert, Mary‐Anne Trabaud, Florence Allantaz-Frager, Guy Oriol, Valérie Cheynet, Constance d’Aubarede, Amélie Massardier-Pilonchery, Marlyse Buisson, Julien Lupo, Bruno Pozzetto, Pascal Poignard, Bruno Lina, Jean‐Baptiste Fassier, Florence Morfin, Sophie Trouillet‐Assant, COVID-SER Study group, Jerôme Adnot, Dulce Alfaiate, Alain Bergeret, André Boibieux, Florent Bonnet, Florence Brunel-Dalmas, Eurydice Caire, Barbara Charbotel, Pierre Chiarello, Laurent Cotte, Constance d’Aubarede, François Durupt, Vanessa Escuret, Pascal Fascia, Juliette Fontaine, Lucie Gaillot-Durand, Myriam Gillet, Matthieu Godinot, François Gueyffier, Laurence Josset, Matthieu Lahousse, Hélène Lozano, Djamila Makhloufi, Marie-Paule Milon, Frédéric Moll, D. Narbey, Julie‐Anne Nazare, Fatima Oria, Marielle Perry, Virginie Pitiot, Mélanie Prudent, Muriel Rabilloud, Audrey Samperiz, Isabelle Schlienger, Chantal Simon, Martine Valette
Abstract
Abstract A comprehensive clinical and microbiological assessments of COVID-19 in front-line healthcare workers (HCWs) is needed. Between April 10th and May 28th, 2020, 319 HCWs with acute illness were reviewed. In addition to SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR screening, a multiplex molecular panel was used for testing other respiratory pathogens. For SARS-CoV-2 positive HCWs, the normalized viral load, viral culture, and virus neutralization assays were performed weekly. For SARS-CoV-2 negative HCWs, SARS-CoV-2 serological testing was performed one month after inclusion. Among the 319 HCWs included, 67 (21.0%) were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; 65/67 (97.0%) developed mild form of COVID-19. Other respiratory pathogens were found in 6/66 (9.1%) SARS-CoV-2 positive and 47/241 (19.5%) SARS-Cov-2 negative HCWs ( p = 0.07). The proportion of HCWs with a viral load > 5.0 log 10 cp/mL (Ct value < 25) was less than 15% at 8 days after symptom onset; 12% of HCWs were positive after 40 days (Ct > 37). More than 90% of cultivable virus had a viral load > 4.5 log 10 cp/mL (Ct < 26) and were collected within 10 days after symptom onset. Among negative HCWs, 6/190 (3.2%) seroconverted. Our data suggest that the determination of viral load can be used for appreciating the infectiousness of infected HCWs. These data could be helpful for facilitating their return to work.