Journal article
Viral Determinants of Acute COVID-19 Symptoms in a Nonhospitalized Adult Population in the Pre-Omicron Era
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v 10(8), ofad396
01 Aug 2023
PMID: 37636517
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Background. The influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA level and presence of infectious virus on symptom occurrence is poorly understood, particularly among nonhospitalized individuals. Methods. The study included 85 nonhospitalized, symptomatic adults, who were enrolled from September 2020 to November 2021. Data from a longitudinal cohort studied over 28 days was used to analyze the association of individual symptoms with SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA load, or the presence or level of infectious (culturable) virus. Presence of infectious virus and viral RNA load were assessed daily, depending on specimen availability, and amount of infectious virus was assessed on the day of maximum RNA load. Participants were surveyed for the start and end dates of 31 symptoms at enrollment and at days 9, 14, 21, and 28; daily symptom presence was determined analytically. We describe symptoms and investigate their possible association with viral determinants through a series of single or pooled (multiple days across acute period) cross-sectional analyses. Results. There was an association between viral RNA load and the same-day presence of many individual symptoms. Additionally, individuals with infectious virus were more than three times as likely to have a concurrent fever than individuals without infectious virus, and more than two times as likely to have concurrent myalgia, chills, headache, or sore throat. Conclusions. We found evidence to support the association of viral RNA load and infectious virus on some, but not all symptoms. Fever was most strongly associated with the presence of infectious virus; this may support the potential for symptom-based isolation guidance for COVID-19.
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Details
- Title
- Viral Determinants of Acute COVID-19 Symptoms in a Nonhospitalized Adult Population in the Pre-Omicron Era
- Publication Details
- OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v 10(8), ofad396
- Publisher
- OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC; CARY
- Grant note
- This work was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 75D301-20-R-67897). The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases also supported J. D. K. during this study (grant number K23 AI146268)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001054182600002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85171482147
- Other Identifier
- 991021861197404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology