Prevalence of RT-qPCR-detected SARS-CoV-2 infection at schools: First results from the Austrian School-SARS-CoV-2 prospective cohort study.


Journal

The Lancet regional health. Europe
ISSN: 2666-7762
Titre abrégé: Lancet Reg Health Eur
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101777707

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Jun 2021
Historique:
entrez: 16 8 2021
pubmed: 17 8 2021
medline: 17 8 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

The role of schools in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is much debated. We aimed to quantify reliably the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections at schools detected with reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-qPCR). This nationwide prospective cohort study monitors a representative sample of pupils (grade 1-8) and teachers at Austrian schools throughout the school year 2020/2021. We repeatedly test participants for SARS-CoV-2 infection using a gargling solution and RT-qPCR. We herein report on the first two rounds of examinations. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and robust 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). We analysed data on 10,734 participants from 245 schools (9465 pupils, 1269 teachers). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection increased from 0·39% at round 1 (95% CI 028-0·55%, 28 September-22 October 2020) to 1·39% at round 2 (95% CI 1·04-1·85%, 10-16 November). Odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection were 2·26 (95% CI 1·25-4·12, This monitoring study in Austrian schools revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection in 0·39%-1·39% of participants and identified associations of regional community incidence and social deprivation with higher prevalence. BMBWF Austria.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The role of schools in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is much debated. We aimed to quantify reliably the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections at schools detected with reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-qPCR).
METHODS METHODS
This nationwide prospective cohort study monitors a representative sample of pupils (grade 1-8) and teachers at Austrian schools throughout the school year 2020/2021. We repeatedly test participants for SARS-CoV-2 infection using a gargling solution and RT-qPCR. We herein report on the first two rounds of examinations. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and robust 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
FINDINGS RESULTS
We analysed data on 10,734 participants from 245 schools (9465 pupils, 1269 teachers). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection increased from 0·39% at round 1 (95% CI 028-0·55%, 28 September-22 October 2020) to 1·39% at round 2 (95% CI 1·04-1·85%, 10-16 November). Odds ratios for SARS-CoV-2 infection were 2·26 (95% CI 1·25-4·12,
INTERPRETATION CONCLUSIONS
This monitoring study in Austrian schools revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection in 0·39%-1·39% of participants and identified associations of regional community incidence and social deprivation with higher prevalence.
FUNDING BACKGROUND
BMBWF Austria.

Identifiants

pubmed: 34396360
doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100086
pii: S2666-7762(21)00063-6
pmc: PMC8350968
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

100086

Informations de copyright

© 2021 The Authors.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors report no conflicts of interest in relation to this study.

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Auteurs

Peter Willeit (P)

Clinical Epidemiology Team, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Robert Krause (R)

Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria and BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria.

Bernd Lamprecht (B)

Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Kepler-University-Hospital, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.

Andrea Berghold (A)

Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Buck Hanson (B)

Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.

Evelyn Stelzl (E)

Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Heribert Stoiber (H)

Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Johannes Zuber (J)

Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.
IMP - Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, Austria.

Robert Heinen (R)

Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.
Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.

Alwin Köhler (A)

Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.
Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

David Bernhard (D)

Center for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
Division of Pathophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.

Wegene Borena (W)

Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Christian Doppler (C)

Center for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
Division of Pathophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.

Dorothee von Laer (D)

Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Hannes Schmidt (H)

Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.

Johannes Pröll (J)

Center for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.

Ivo Steinmetz (I)

Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Michael Wagner (M)

Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Vienna Covid-19 Detection Initiative, Vienna, Austria.
Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.

Classifications MeSH