tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMC Infect Dis
. 2022 Jan 17;22(1):59.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06998-5.
The characteristics of overseas imported COVID-19 cases and the effectiveness of screening strategies in Beijing, China
Li Li[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Cheng-Jie Ma[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yu-Fei Chang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Si-Yuan Yang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yun-Xia Tang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ling-Hang Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: In March 2020, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. While great success in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control has been achieved in China, imported cases have become a major challenge. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases and to assess the effectiveness of screening strategies in Beijing, China.
Methods: This retrospective study included all imported cases transferred to Beijing Ditan Hospital from 29 February to 20 March 2020 who were screened by both chest computed tomography (CT) and reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the initial presentation. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data, in addition to chest CT imaging, were collected and analysed.
Results: In total, 2545 cases were included, among which 71 (2.8%) were finally diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. The majority 63 (88.7%) were from Europe. The most common initial symptoms were cough and fever, which accounted for 49.3% and 42.3%, respectively. Only four cases (5.6%) had lymphocytopenia, and thirteen cases (18.3%) demonstrated elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). All cases had normal serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT). At initial presentation, among the 71 confirmed cases, 59 (83.1%) had a positive RT-PCR assay, and 35 (49.3%) had a positive chest CT. Twelve (16.9%) had a negative RT-PCR assay but a positive chest CT.
Conclusions: A combination of RT-PCR and chest CT is an effective strategy for the screening of imported COVID-19 cases. Our findings provide important information and clinical evidence about the infection control of imported COVID-19 cases.
. 2022 Jan 17;22(1):59.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06998-5.
The characteristics of overseas imported COVID-19 cases and the effectiveness of screening strategies in Beijing, China
Li Li[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Cheng-Jie Ma[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yu-Fei Chang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Si-Yuan Yang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Yun-Xia Tang[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ling-Hang Wang[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35039000
- DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06998-5
Abstract
Background: In March 2020, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. While great success in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control has been achieved in China, imported cases have become a major challenge. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases and to assess the effectiveness of screening strategies in Beijing, China.
Methods: This retrospective study included all imported cases transferred to Beijing Ditan Hospital from 29 February to 20 March 2020 who were screened by both chest computed tomography (CT) and reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the initial presentation. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data, in addition to chest CT imaging, were collected and analysed.
Results: In total, 2545 cases were included, among which 71 (2.8%) were finally diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. The majority 63 (88.7%) were from Europe. The most common initial symptoms were cough and fever, which accounted for 49.3% and 42.3%, respectively. Only four cases (5.6%) had lymphocytopenia, and thirteen cases (18.3%) demonstrated elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). All cases had normal serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT). At initial presentation, among the 71 confirmed cases, 59 (83.1%) had a positive RT-PCR assay, and 35 (49.3%) had a positive chest CT. Twelve (16.9%) had a negative RT-PCR assay but a positive chest CT.
Conclusions: A combination of RT-PCR and chest CT is an effective strategy for the screening of imported COVID-19 cases. Our findings provide important information and clinical evidence about the infection control of imported COVID-19 cases.