Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Infection of Primary Nasal Epithelial Cells Grown at an Air-Liquid Interface to Characterize Human Coronavirus-Host Interactions
Published on: September 22, 2023
Household secondary attack rate in mild COVID-19
Ananthu Narayan1, Ushasi Saraswati2, Ishmeet Kaur3
1Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Background:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reached a staggering number of almost 280 million cases worldwide, with over 5.4 million deaths as of 29 December 2021. A further understanding of the factors related to the household spread of the infection might help to bring about specific protocols to curb such transmission.
Objective:
This study aims to find the secondary attack rate (SAR) and factors affecting SAR among the households of mild COVID-19 cases.
Methods:
An observational study was designed where data of patients admitted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi due to mild COVID-19 were collected, and outcome was noted after the discharge of the patient. Index cases who were the first in the household to have a positive infection only were included. Based on these data, the overall household SAR, factors related to the index case and contacts that affected transmissibility were noted.
Results:
A total of 60 index cases having contacts with 184 household members were included in the present study. The household SAR was measured to be 41.85%. At least one positive case was present in 51.67% households. Children below 18 years old had lower odds of getting a secondary infection compared to adults and elderly [odds ratio (OR) = 0.46, 95%CI = 0.22-0.94, p = 0.0383). An exposure period of more than a week was significantly associated with a higher risk of infection (p = 0.029). The rate of transmissibility drastically declined with effective quarantine measures adopted by the index case (OR = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.06-0.26, p < 0.00001). Symptomatic index cases contributed more to the SAR than asymptomatic primaries (OR = 4.74, 95%CI = 1.03-21.82, P = 0.045). Healthcare worker index cases had lower rates of spread (OR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.15-0.58, P = 0.0003).
Conclusion:
The high SAR shows the household is a potential high-risk unit for transmissibility of COVID-19. Proper quarantine measures of all those exposed to the index case can mitigate such spread and lead to reduction of risk of COVID-19 within a household.
More Related Videos
03:53Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
Published on: November 10, 2023
12:21A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness
Published on: September 28, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:26Stages of Infection
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
01:12Hazard Ratio
For example, in a clinical trial...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:30Acute Pharyngitis
Acute pharyngitis is the inflammation of the back of the throat (pharynx), commonly resulting in a sore throat. It is a frequently encountered condition that prompts individuals to seek medical advice.
Classification
Acute pharyngitis can be categorized based on its underlying cause:
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...