tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Open Forum Infect Dis
. 2021 Sep 17;8(11)
fab464.
doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab464. eCollection 2021 Nov.
SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology on a Public University Campus in Washington State
Ana A Weil[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah L Sohlberg[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jessica A O'Hanlon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Amanda M Casto[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anne W Emanuels[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Natalie K Lo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emily P Greismer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ariana M Magedson[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Naomi C Wilcox[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ashley E Kim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lewis Back[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Christian D Frazar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ben Pelle[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Thomas R Sibley[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Misja Ilcisin[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jover Lee[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Erica L Ryke[SUP] 3 [/SUP], J Chris Craft[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kristen M Schwabe-Fry[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kairsten A Fay[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shari Cho[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Peter D Han[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sarah J Heidl[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Brian A Pfau[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Melissa Truong[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Weizhi Zhong[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sanjay R Srivatsan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katia F Harb[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Geoffrey S Gottlieb[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP], James P Hughes[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Deborah A Nickerson[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Christina M Lockwood[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Lea M Starita[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Trevor Bedford[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Jay A Shendure[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Helen Y Chu[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: We aimed to evaluate a testing program to facilitate control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission at a large university and measure spread in the university community using viral genome sequencing.
Methods: Our prospective longitudinal study used remote contactless enrollment, daily mobile symptom and exposure tracking, and self-swab sample collection. Individuals were tested if the participant was exposed to a known SARS-CoV-2-infected person, developed new symptoms, or reported high-risk behavior (such as attending an indoor gathering without masking or social distancing), if a member of a group experiencing an outbreak, or at enrollment. Study participants included students, staff, and faculty at an urban public university during the Autumn quarter of 2020.
Results: We enrolled 16 476 individuals, performed 29 783 SARS-CoV-2 tests, and detected 236 infections. Seventy-five percent of positive cases reported at least 1 of the following: symptoms (60.8%), exposure (34.7%), or high-risk behaviors (21.5%). Greek community affiliation was the strongest risk factor for testing positive, and molecular epidemiology results suggest that specific large gatherings were responsible for several outbreaks.
Conclusions: A testing program focused on individuals with symptoms and unvaccinated persons who participate in large campus gatherings may be effective as part of a comprehensive university-wide mitigation strategy to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: COVID-19 testing; SARS-CoV-2; genome sequencing; outbreak; university.
. 2021 Sep 17;8(11)
fab464.doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab464. eCollection 2021 Nov.
SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology on a Public University Campus in Washington State
Ana A Weil[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah L Sohlberg[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jessica A O'Hanlon[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Amanda M Casto[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anne W Emanuels[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Natalie K Lo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emily P Greismer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ariana M Magedson[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Naomi C Wilcox[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ashley E Kim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lewis Back[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Christian D Frazar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ben Pelle[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Thomas R Sibley[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Misja Ilcisin[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jover Lee[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Erica L Ryke[SUP] 3 [/SUP], J Chris Craft[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kristen M Schwabe-Fry[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Kairsten A Fay[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shari Cho[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Peter D Han[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sarah J Heidl[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Brian A Pfau[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Melissa Truong[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Weizhi Zhong[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sanjay R Srivatsan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Katia F Harb[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Geoffrey S Gottlieb[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP], James P Hughes[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Deborah A Nickerson[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Christina M Lockwood[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Lea M Starita[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Trevor Bedford[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Jay A Shendure[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Helen Y Chu[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34805425
- PMCID: PMC8599730
- DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab464
Abstract
Background: We aimed to evaluate a testing program to facilitate control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission at a large university and measure spread in the university community using viral genome sequencing.
Methods: Our prospective longitudinal study used remote contactless enrollment, daily mobile symptom and exposure tracking, and self-swab sample collection. Individuals were tested if the participant was exposed to a known SARS-CoV-2-infected person, developed new symptoms, or reported high-risk behavior (such as attending an indoor gathering without masking or social distancing), if a member of a group experiencing an outbreak, or at enrollment. Study participants included students, staff, and faculty at an urban public university during the Autumn quarter of 2020.
Results: We enrolled 16 476 individuals, performed 29 783 SARS-CoV-2 tests, and detected 236 infections. Seventy-five percent of positive cases reported at least 1 of the following: symptoms (60.8%), exposure (34.7%), or high-risk behaviors (21.5%). Greek community affiliation was the strongest risk factor for testing positive, and molecular epidemiology results suggest that specific large gatherings were responsible for several outbreaks.
Conclusions: A testing program focused on individuals with symptoms and unvaccinated persons who participate in large campus gatherings may be effective as part of a comprehensive university-wide mitigation strategy to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: COVID-19 testing; SARS-CoV-2; genome sequencing; outbreak; university.