Assessment of the Risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Reinfection in an Intense Reexposure Setting
Author | Abu-Raddad, Laith J. |
Author | Chemaitelly, Hiam |
Author | Malek, Joel A. |
Author | Ahmed, Ayeda A. |
Author | Mohamoud, Yasmin A. |
Author | Younuskunju, Shameem |
Author | Ayoub, Houssein H. |
Author | Al Kanaani, Zaina |
Author | Al Khal, Abdullatif |
Author | Al Kuwari, Einas |
Author | Butt, Adeel A. |
Author | Coyle, Peter |
Author | Jeremijenko, Andrew |
Author | Kaleeckal, Anvar Hassan |
Author | Latif, Ali Nizar |
Author | Shaik, Riyazuddin Mohammad |
Author | Abdul Rahim, Hanan F. |
Author | Yassine, Hadi M. |
Author | Al Kuwari, Mohamed G. |
Author | Al Romaihi, Hamad Eid |
Author | Al-Thani, Mohamed H. |
Author | Bertollini, Roberto |
Available date | 2022-09-13T15:44:01Z |
Publication Date | 2021-10-05 |
Publication Name | Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America |
Identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1846 |
Citation | Abu-Raddad, L. J., Chemaitelly, H., Malek, J. A., Ahmed, A. A., Mohamoud, Y. A., Younuskunju, S., ... & Bertollini, R. (2021). Assessment of the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reinfection in an intense reexposure setting. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73(7), e1830-e1840. |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Risk of reinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is unknown. We assessed the risk and incidence rate of documented SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in a cohort of laboratory-confirmed cases in Qatar. METHODS: All SARS-CoV-2 laboratory-confirmed cases with at least 1 polymerase chain reaction-positive swab that was ≥45 days after a first positive swab were individually investigated for evidence of reinfection. Viral genome sequencing of the paired first positive and reinfection viral specimens was conducted to confirm reinfection. RESULTS: Out of 133 266 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases, 243 persons (0.18%) had at least 1 subsequent positive swab ≥45 days after the first positive swab. Of these, 54 cases (22.2%) had strong or good evidence for reinfection. Median time between the first swab and reinfection swab was 64.5 days (range, 45-129). Twenty-three of the 54 cases (42.6%) were diagnosed at a health facility, suggesting presence of symptoms, while 31 (57.4%) were identified incidentally through random testing campaigns/surveys or contact tracing. Only 1 person was hospitalized at the time of reinfection but was discharged the next day. No deaths were recorded. Viral genome sequencing confirmed 4 reinfections of 12 cases with available genetic evidence. Reinfection risk was estimated at 0.02% (95% confidence interval [CI], .01%-.02%), and reinfection incidence rate was 0.36 (95% CI, .28-.47) per 10 000 person-weeks. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 reinfection can occur but is a rare phenomenon suggestive of protective immunity against reinfection that lasts for at least a few months post primary infection. |
Language | en |
Publisher | NLM (Medline) |
Subject | epidemiology genetics immunity reinfection SARS-CoV-2 |
Type | Article |
Pagination | e1830-e1840 |
Issue Number | 7 |
Volume Number | 73 |
Files in this item
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
-
COVID-19 Research [799 items ]
-
Mathematics, Statistics & Physics [722 items ]