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Remote Laboratory Management: Respiratory Virus Diagnostics
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Testing the repatriated for SARS-Cov2: Should laboratory-based quarantine replace traditional quarantine?
Jean Christophe Lagier1, Philippe Colson1, Hervé Tissot Dupont1
1Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
|March 18, 2020
Summary
All 337 repatriated French nationals tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. Rapid, optimized testing procedures helped reduce public and decision-maker anxiety during the early stages of the pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, led to a global health crisis.
- French nationals were repatriated from Wuhan and placed under quarantine.
- Testing was implemented to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic repatriated individuals.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of rapid diagnostic testing in a quarantine setting.
- To mitigate public and official anxiety regarding potential COVID-19 spread.
Main Methods:
- Testing of 337 repatriated individuals for SARS-CoV-2 RNA on arrival (day 0) and day 5.
- Collection of nasal, oropharyngeal swabs, or sputum for viral RNA extraction.
- Utilization of real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
Main Results:
- All 337 individuals tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on both testing occasions.
- Optimized sample processing allowed for testing within 5 hours of collection.
- The rapid turnaround time included sample collection, shipment, and analysis.
Conclusions:
- The implemented rapid testing strategy successfully identified no cases of SARS-CoV-2 among repatriated individuals.
- Optimized diagnostic procedures can effectively reduce anxiety among the general population and policymakers.
- This approach demonstrates the feasibility of rapid screening during the early phases of an epidemic.
