ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pregnant women are vulnerable against COVID-19 infection due to physiological and immunological changes. COVID-19 in pregnancy affects fetal well-being with a potential for vertical infection. AIM: This study aims to determine the incidence of vertical infection and anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in infants born to mothers with positive COVID-19 infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Amniotic fluid, swabs of the newborn's nasopharynx and oropharynx, and swabs of the placenta were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2. Serological examination was performed by Electro-Chemiluminescence Immunoassay on infant's blood. RESULT(S): Four of 33 pregnant women gave birth to infants positive SARS-CoV-2 infection. RT-PCR examination of all amniotic fluid and placental swabs was negative for SARS-CoV-2. Four of 33 infants (12.1%) showed negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results but positive SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, another 4 newborns (12.1%) showed positive PCR results, but no SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected. The remaining 25 babies (75.8%) showed both negative PCR and serologic results. CONCLUSION(S): No evidence of vertical transmission found in this study.Copyright © 2023 Cut Meurah Yeni, Zinatul Hayati, Sarjani M. Ali, Hasanuddin Hasanuddin, Rusnaidi Rusnaidi, Cut Rika Maharani.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Growing evidence suggest that cycle threshold (CT)-value of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is correlated with transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and some kits set different CT-value cut-off. This report presents the discordant results of two widely used RT-PCR kits in Indonesia due to different CT-value cut-offs and highlights its potential consequence in SARS-CoV-2 containment. Methods Nasopharyngeal swab samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative with a RT-PCR kit (manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off was 35 amplification cycles) were retested with another RT-PCR kit with a higher pre-set CT-value of 40 amplification cycles. All procedures were performed according to the manufacturer protocols. Results In total, 30 samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative for the first kit were retested. We found that 25 out of 33 samples (75.5%) were positive using the second RT-PCR kit that had a higher manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off. In addition, among 500 RT-PCR tests using the first RT-PCR kit, 103 of them (20.6%) were categorized as inconclusive results based on the second manufacturer’ guideline. Discussion and conclusion Our data suggest the possibility of discordant results of SARS-CoV-2 detection due to different pre-set cut-offs by the companies. As consequence, this could leave a fraction of individuals who were misclassified that could act as source of virus transmission within community.
ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread throughout the world to become a pandemic, making the entire health sector overwhelmed. Hospitals as health service facilities continuously strive to provide optimal service to patients with the confirmed COVID-19 infection. Resident doctors usually handle COVID-19 patients at the Zainoel Abidin Hospital (ZAH). As the front liner in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, these resident doctors must have adequate knowledge and good attitudes in dealing with COVID-19 patients, especially regarding ethical and medicolegal. Aim: This study aims at finding out the level of knowledge and attitudes of resident doctors in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic at the ZAH, Aceh. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted among resident doctors (n=80) in the ZAH during November-December 2020 with a self-administered online questionnaire. It had been tested for validity by experts with a Content Validity Ratio / CVR of 0.738 and reliability of 0.732. The data were analyzed using the frequency distribution test (univariate) and the Chi square correlation test (bivariate). Results and Discussion: The results show that the majority of respondents had inadequate knowledge of ethical and medicolegal issues in handling the COVID-19 pandemic (70.0%);however, they had a positive attitude in overcoming ethical and medicolegal issues, i.e.77.5%. The chi square statistical test result shows no correlation between knowledge and attitude with a p-value of 0.077 (p-value >0.05). Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that the theoretical knowledge of doctors was not sufficient to identify ethical and medicolegal issues, but the attitude in dealing with ethical and medicolegal issues was satisfactory. This result offers a new opportunity and challenge to increase the awareness of doctors in applying their knowledge and attitudes towards handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Growing evidence suggest that cycle threshold (CT)-value of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is correlated with transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and some kits set different CT-value cut-off. This report presents the discordant results of two widely used RT-PCR kits in Indonesia due to different CT-value cut-offs and highlights its potential consequence in SARS-CoV-2 containment. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swab samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative with a RT-PCR kit (manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off was 35 amplification cycles) were retested with another RT-PCR kit with a higher pre-set CT-value of 40 amplification cycles. All procedures were performed according to the manufacturer protocols. Results: In total, 30 samples with SARS-CoV-2 negative for the first kit were retested. We found that 25 out of 33 samples (75.5%) were positive using the second RT-PCR kit that had a higher manufacture pre-set CT-value cut-off. In addition, among 500 RT-PCR tests using the first RT-PCR kit, 103 of them (20.6%) were categorized as inconclusive results based on the second manufacturer' guideline. Discussion and conclusion: Our data suggest the possibility of discordant results of SARS-CoV-2 detection due to different pre-set cut-offs by the companies. As consequence, this could leave a fraction of individuals who were misclassified that could act as source of virus transmission within community.
Introducción: La evidencia creciente sugiere que el valor del ciclo umbral (CT) de la RT-PCR (reacción en cadena de la polimerasa por transcripción inversa) guarda relación con la transmisión del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo por coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), y algunos kits establecen diferentes puntos de corte para dicho valor. El presente informe presenta la discordancia de los resultados de dos kits RT-PCR de amplio uso en Indonesia debido a los diferentes puntos de corte del valor CT, y subraya su consecuencia potencial para la contención del SARS-CoV-2. Métodos: Se reanalizaron las muestras de los hisopos nasofaríngeos negativos para SARS-CoV-2 con un kit RT-PCR (el punto de corte del valor CT preestablecido de fábrica fue de 35 ciclos de ampliación) con otro kit para RT-PCR con un valor CT establecido superior, de 40 ciclos de ampliación. Todos los procedimientos fueron realizados con arreglo a los protocolos de fabricación. Resultados: En total se reanalizaron 30 muestras con SARS-CoV-2 negativas para el primer kit. Encontramos que 25 de entre 33 muestras (75,5%) eran positivas utilizando el segundo kit para RT-PCR, que tenía un punto de corte del valor CT preestablecido superior. Además, entre las 500 pruebas RT-PCR que utilizaron el primer kit para RT-PCR, 103 de ellas (el 20,6%) fueron categorizadas como resultados no concluyentes sobre la base de la guía del segundo fabricante. Discusión y conclusión: Nuestros datos sugieren la posibilidad de discordancia en los resultados de detección del SARS-CoV-2 debido a los diferentes puntos de corte preestablecidos por los fabricantes. Por tanto, esto podría suponer que la mala clasificación de una parte de los individuos fuera la causa de la transmisión del virus dentro de la comunidad.