tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Syst Rev
. 2021 Apr 8;10(1):101.
doi: 10.1186/s13643-021-01648-y.
The incubation period during the pandemic of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Wafa Dhouib[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jihen Maatoug[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Imen Ayouni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nawel Zammit[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Rim Ghammem[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sihem Ben Fredj[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hassen Ghannem[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The aim of our study was to determine through a systematic review and meta-analysis the incubation period of COVID-19. It was conducted based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). Criteria for eligibility were all published population-based primary literature in PubMed interface and the Science Direct, dealing with incubation period of COVID-19, written in English, since December 2019 to December 2020. We estimated the mean of the incubation period using meta-analysis, taking into account between-study heterogeneity, and the analysis with moderator variables.
Results: This review included 42 studies done predominantly in China. The mean and median incubation period were of maximum 8 days and 12 days respectively. In various parametric models, the 95th percentiles were in the range 10.3-16 days. The highest 99th percentile would be as long as 20.4 days. Out of the 10 included studies in the meta-analysis, 8 were conducted in China, 1 in Singapore, and 1 in Argentina. The pooled mean incubation period was 6.2 (95% CI 5.4, 7.0) days. The heterogeneity (I[SUP]2[/SUP] 77.1%; p < 0.001) was decreased when we included the study quality and the method of calculation used as moderator variables (I[SUP]2[/SUP] 0%). The mean incubation period ranged from 5.2 (95% CI 4.4 to 5.9) to 6.65 days (95% CI 6.0 to 7.2).
Conclusions: This work provides additional evidence of incubation period for COVID-19 and showed that it is prudent not to dismiss the possibility of incubation periods up to 14 days at this stage of the epidemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; Contact tracing; Coronavirus; Infectious disease incubation period.
. 2021 Apr 8;10(1):101.
doi: 10.1186/s13643-021-01648-y.
The incubation period during the pandemic of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Wafa Dhouib[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jihen Maatoug[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Imen Ayouni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nawel Zammit[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Rim Ghammem[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sihem Ben Fredj[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hassen Ghannem[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33832511
- DOI: 10.1186/s13643-021-01648-y
Abstract
Background: The aim of our study was to determine through a systematic review and meta-analysis the incubation period of COVID-19. It was conducted based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). Criteria for eligibility were all published population-based primary literature in PubMed interface and the Science Direct, dealing with incubation period of COVID-19, written in English, since December 2019 to December 2020. We estimated the mean of the incubation period using meta-analysis, taking into account between-study heterogeneity, and the analysis with moderator variables.
Results: This review included 42 studies done predominantly in China. The mean and median incubation period were of maximum 8 days and 12 days respectively. In various parametric models, the 95th percentiles were in the range 10.3-16 days. The highest 99th percentile would be as long as 20.4 days. Out of the 10 included studies in the meta-analysis, 8 were conducted in China, 1 in Singapore, and 1 in Argentina. The pooled mean incubation period was 6.2 (95% CI 5.4, 7.0) days. The heterogeneity (I[SUP]2[/SUP] 77.1%; p < 0.001) was decreased when we included the study quality and the method of calculation used as moderator variables (I[SUP]2[/SUP] 0%). The mean incubation period ranged from 5.2 (95% CI 4.4 to 5.9) to 6.65 days (95% CI 6.0 to 7.2).
Conclusions: This work provides additional evidence of incubation period for COVID-19 and showed that it is prudent not to dismiss the possibility of incubation periods up to 14 days at this stage of the epidemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; Contact tracing; Coronavirus; Infectious disease incubation period.