Prevalence of COVID-19 at the Wahgnion-Gold mining site in Burkina Faso and use of RT-PCR initial cycle threshold to monitor the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 load
Afr. J. Clin. Exp. Microbiol
; 24(1): 24-31, 2023. figures, tables
Article
in En
| AIM
| ID: biblio-1414089
Responsible library:
CG1.1
ABSTRACT
Background:
To control the spread of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is necessary to adequately identify and isolate infectious patients particularly at the work place. Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay is the recommended confirmatory method for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of SARSCoV-2 infection in Burkina Faso and to use the initial cycle threshold (Ct) values of RT-PCR as a tool to monitor the dynamics of the viral load.Methodology:
Between September 2021 and February 2022, oropharyngeal and/or nasopharyngeal swab samples of consecutively selected COVID-19 symptomatic and apparently healthy workers from the Wahgnion mining site in the South-western Burkina Faso who consented to the study were collected according to the two weeks shift program and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PCR assay. Patients positive for the virus were followed-up weekly until tests were negative. Association of the initial RT-PCR Ct values with disease duration was assessed by adjusted linear regression approach. Two-sided p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:
A total of 1506 (92.9% males) participants were recruited into the study, with mean age and age range of 37.1ï±8.7 and 18-68 years respectively. The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 14.3% (216/1506). Of the 82 patients included in the follow-up study, the longest duration of positive RT-PCR test, from the first positive to the first of the two negative RT-PCR tests, was 33 days (mean 11.6 days, median 10 days, interquartile range 8- 14 days). The initial Ct values significantly correlated with the duration of RT-PCR positivity (with ß=-0.54, standard error=0.09 for N gene, and ß=-0.44, standard error=0.09 for ORF1ab gene, p<0.001). Participants with higher Ct values corresponding to lower viral loads had shorter viral clearance time than those of lower Ct values or higher viral loads.Conclusion:
Approximately 1 out of 7 tested miners had SARS-CoV-2 infection and the duration of their RT-PCR tests positivity independently correlated with the initial viral load measured by initial Ct values. As participants with lower initial Ct values tended to have longer disease duration, initial RT-PCR Ct values could be used to guide COVID-19 patient quarantine duration particularly at the work place.Key words
Full text:
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Index:
AIM
Main subject:
Follow-Up Studies
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Workplace
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Diagnosis
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Fees and Charges
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Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Miners
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SARS-CoV-2
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COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Health_economic_evaluation
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Observational_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Female
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Afr. J. Clin. Exp. Microbiol
Year:
2023
Type:
Article