Duration of Symptoms and Association With Positive Home Rapid Antigen Test Results After Infection With SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

releasing culture-positive, potentially infectious individuals prematurely, underscoring the importance of proper mask wearing and avoidance of high-risk transmission venues through day 10.

Daily, self-test rapid antigen test to assess SARS-CoV-2 viability in de-isolation of patients with COVID-19

“…All patients were clinically recovered at discharge, but one (2.9%) was transferred to hospital due to intractable fever. The median time between admission and discharge was 10 days (range, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The median value of viral load at diagnosis was 18.2, and the majority of cases (73.5%) were Delta variants.…”

“…In addition, the RAT-positive rate gradually decreased over time after symptom onset. At the time of this writing, Cosimi et al reported that RAT has a high negative predictive value (100%), so a negative RAT result could provide reassurance in ending isolation ( 8 ). Our findings of high negative predictive value of a negative RAT are consistent with this study ( 8 ).…”

“…Therefore, positive RAT results were also expected to correlate with positive viral culture, which have been considered a proxy for infectivity ( 7 ). However, there are limited studies comparing the results of serially performed RATs during infection with tests for infectivity, such as virus culture ( 8 , 9 ). In this study, the results of serially performed, self-test RAT were compared with those of virus culture, genomic RNA, and subgenomic RNA tests on saliva samples collected from COVID-19 patients in South Korea.…”

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Antigen Test Positivity Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Workers in Los Angeles

“…Although antigen test positivity correlates well with culture positivity and higher viral loads [ 3–7 ], it is not a perfect proxy. A study by Cosimi et al found that only half of participants with a positive antigen test had a positive viral culture on day 6 following symptom onset [ 18 ]. Interestingly, that study, and another by Bouton et al, both report 100% negative predictive values for antigen testing with relationship to culture positivity [ 16 , 18 ].…”

“…A study by Cosimi et al found that only half of participants with a positive antigen test had a positive viral culture on day 6 following symptom onset [ 18 ]. Interestingly, that study, and another by Bouton et al, both report 100% negative predictive values for antigen testing with relationship to culture positivity [ 16 , 18 ]. Those studies provide reassuring data that those with a negative antigen test on day 6 are unlikely to be shedding viable virus.…”