In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 17, No. 8 ( 2022-8-17), p. e0272663-
Abstract:
To report a prospective epidemiological, virological and serological investigation of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a primary school. Methods As part of a longitudinal, prospective, school-based surveillance study, this investigation involved repeated testing of 73 pupils, 9 teachers, 13 non-teaching staff and 26 household members of participants who tested positive, with rapid antigen tests and/or RT-PCR (Day 0–2 and Day 5–7), serologies on dried capillary blood samples (Day 0–2 and Day 30), contact tracing interviews and SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing. Results We identified 20 children (aged 4 to 6 years from 4 school classes), 2 teachers and a total of 4 household members who were infected by the Alpha variant during this outbreak. Infection attack rates were between 11.8 and 62.0% among pupils from the 4 school classes, 22.2% among teachers and 0% among non-teaching staff. Secondary attack rate among household members was 15.4%. Symptoms were reported by 63% of infected children, 100% of teachers and 50% of household members. All analysed sequences but one showed 100% identity. Serological tests detected 8 seroconversions unidentified by SARS-CoV-2 virological tests. Conclusions This study confirmed child-to-child and child-to-adult SARS-CoV-2 transmission and introduction into households. Effective measures to limit transmission in schools have the potential to reduce the overall community circulation.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.g003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.g004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0272663.r006
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
