Your browser doesn't support javascript.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Surveillance in Decedents in a Large, Urban Medical Examiner's Office.
Brouwer, Andrew F; Myers, Jeffrey L; Martin, Emily T; Konopka, Kristine E; Lauring, Adam S; Eisenberg, Marisa C; Lephart, Paul R; Nguyen, Teresa; Jaworski, Andrea; Schmidt, Carl J.
  • Brouwer AF; Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Myers JL; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Martin ET; Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Konopka KE; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Lauring AS; Department of Internal Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Eisenberg MC; Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Lephart PR; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Nguyen T; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
  • Jaworski A; Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
  • Schmidt CJ; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Clin Infect Dis ; 72(10): e580-e585, 2021 05 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1232196
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Given the challenges in implementing widespread testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is increasing interest in alternative surveillance strategies.

METHODS:

We tested nasopharyngeal swabs from 1094 decedents in the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office for SARS-CoV-2. All decedents were assessed using a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) checklist, and decedents flagged using the checklist (298) were preferentially tested. A random sample of decedents not flagged using the checklist were also tested (796). We statistically analyzed the characteristics of decedents (age, sex, race, and manner of death), differentiating between those flagged using the checklist and not and between those SARS-CoV-2-positive and not.

RESULTS:

A larger percentage of decedents overall were male (70% vs 48%) and black (55% vs 36%) compared with the catchment population. Seven-day average percent positivity among flagged decedents closely matched the trajectory of percent positivity in the catchment population, particularly during the peak of the outbreak (March and April 2020). After a lull in May to mid-June, new positive tests in late June coincided with increased case detection in the catchment. We found large racial disparities in test results; SARS-CoV-2-positive decedents were substantially more likely to be black than SARS-CoV-2-negative decedents (82% vs 51%). SARS-CoV-2-positive decedents were also more likely to be older and to have died of natural causes, including of COVID-19 disease.

CONCLUSIONS:

Disease surveillance through medical examiners and coroners could supplement other forms of surveillance and serve as a possible early outbreak warning sign.
Subject(s)
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Randomized controlled trials Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: English Journal: Clin Infect Dis Journal subject: Communicable Diseases Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Cid

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Randomized controlled trials Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: English Journal: Clin Infect Dis Journal subject: Communicable Diseases Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Cid