Strong associations and moderate predictive value of early symptoms for SARS-CoV-2 test positivity among healthcare workers, the Netherlands, March 2020.

Tostmann, Alma; Bradley, John; Bousema, Teun; Yiek, Wing-Kee; Holwerda, Minke; Bleeker-Rovers, Chantal; Ten Oever, Jaap; Meijer, Corianne; Rahamat-Langendoen, Janette; Hopman, Joost; +2 more... van der Geest-Blankert, Nannet; Wertheim, Heiman; (2020) Strong associations and moderate predictive value of early symptoms for SARS-CoV-2 test positivity among healthcare workers, the Netherlands, March 2020. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin, 25 (16). pp. 2-7. ISSN 1025-496X DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.16.2000508

Abstract

Healthcare workers (n = 803) with mild symptoms were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (n = 90 positive) and asked to complete a symptom questionnaire. Anosmia, muscle ache, ocular pain, general malaise, headache, extreme tiredness and fever were associated with positivity. A predictive model based on these symptoms showed moderate discriminative value (sensitivity: 91.2%; specificity: 55.6%). While our models would not justify presumptive SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis without molecular confirmation, it can contribute to targeted screening strategies.

Additional Information

Item Type	Article
Faculty and Department	Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (-2023)
Research Centre	Covid-19 Research
PubMed ID	32347200
Elements ID	147162