Course: Prevalence of Positive Rapid Antigen Tests After 7-Day Isolation Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in College Athletes During Omicron Variant Predominance
CME Credits: 1.00
Released: 2022-10-18
Key Points
Question Is the 5-day isolation period after SARS-CoV-2 infection that has been recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sufficient for infected individuals to receive negative test results?Findings In this case series, 268 collegiate student athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 underwent rapid antigen testing starting 7 days after the initial positive test. At 7 days, the results of testing were still positive in 27% of the individuals tested, with a higher percent positive in symptomatic individuals and those infected with the Omicron BA.2 variant.
Meaning The findings of this study suggest that use of rapid antigen testing to aid in the decision to end isolation may be needed to prevent individuals with infection from leaving isolation prematurely.
Abstract
Importance The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended isolation period for SARS-CoV-2 infection from 10 days to 5 days in December 2021. It is unknown whether an individual with the infection may still have a positive result to a rapid antigen test and potentially be contagious at the end of this shortened isolation period.Objective To estimate the proportion of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection whose rapid antigen test is still positive starting 7 days postdiagnosis.
Design, Setting, and Participants This case series analyzed student athletes at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university campus who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between January 3 and May 6, 2022. Individuals underwent rapid antigen testing starting 7 days postdiagnosis to determine whether they could end their isolation period.
Exposures Rapid antigen testing 7 days after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Main Outcomes and Measures Rapid antigen test results, symptom status, and SARS-CoV-2 variant identification via campus wastewater analysis.
Results A total of 264 student athletes (140 [53%] female; mean [SD] age, 20.1 [1.2] years; range, 18-25 years) representing 268 infections (177 [66%] symptomatic, 91 [34%] asymptomatic) were included in the study. Of the 248 infections in individuals who did a day 7 test, 67 (27%; 95% CI, 21%-33%) tests were still positive. Patients with symptomatic infections were significantly more likely to test positive on day 7 vs those who were asymptomatic (35%; 95% CI, 28%-43% vs 11%; 95% CI, 5%-18%; P?<?.001). Patients with the BA.2 variant were also significantly more likely to test positive on day 7 compared with those with the BA.1 variant (40%; 95% CI, 29%-51% vs 21%; 95% CI, 15%-27%; P?=?.007).
Conclusions and Relevance In this case series, rapid antigen tests remained positive in 27% of the individuals after 7 days of isolation, suggesting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–recommended 5-day isolation period may be insufficient in preventing ongoing spread of disease. Further studies are needed to determine whether these findings are present in a more heterogeneous population and in subsequent variants.
Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article
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