Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35123068›Full record

ArticleTravel medicine and infectious disease

SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity of individuals subsequent to completing quarantine upon entry into a country during a transmission-free period.

Sirawat Srichatrapimuk, Thanat Chookajorn, Theerarat Kochakarn, Suppachok Kirdlarp, Ekawat Pasomsub, Wasun Chantratita, Sopon Iamsirithaworn, Mongkol Kunakorn, Arunee Thitithanyanont, Somnuek Sungkanuparph and 1 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Travel medicine and infectious disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 42% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Sirawat SrichatrapimukChakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Samut Prakan, Thailand.
Thanat ChookajornGenomics and Evolutionary Medicine Unit, Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Theerarat KochakarnGenomics and Evolutionary Medicine Unit, Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Suppachok KirdlarpChakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Samut Prakan, Thailand.
Ekawat PasomsubDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wasun ChantratitaCenter for Medical Genomics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sopon IamsirithawornDivision of Communicable Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Mongkol KunakornDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Arunee ThitithanyanontDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Somnuek SungkanuparphChakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Samut Prakan, Thailand.
Angsana PhuphuakratDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: angsana.phu@mahidol.ac.th.
Mahidol University · THMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit · THMinistry of Public Health · TH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDuring the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries require travellers to undergo a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) before travelling across borders. However, in persons having recovered from COVID-19, RT-PCR positivity can persist for an extended period. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe describe three cases who sought fit-to-fly certificates in Thailand during the period free of local transmission but were tested positive for RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2. All had returned from a country with an active outbreak of COVID-19. Their clinical courses are described; positive nasopharyngeal swab samples were processed for viral isolation and whole-genome sequencing (WGS); and serology as well as neutralizing antibody were assessed. The contact tracing was carried out for determining evidence of indigenous transmission among close contacts of those three cases.

resultsAll three cases were completely asymptomatic. Chest computerized tomography was not compatible with COVID-19 pneumonia; cell cultures failed to rescue replication-competent virus; WGS revealed fragmented viral genetic material from nasopharyngeal swab samples; and serological tests demonstrated stable levels of antibodies, together with the presence of neutralizing antibody, suggesting past infection with negligible transmission risk. Contact tracing identified no transmission in high-risk close contact individuals.

conclusionRT-PCR positivity for SARS-CoV-2 might detect fragmented viral genome. Issuance of a travel certificate in these circumstances is problematic. Serology tests can help to define past infection. A practical acceptable set of guidelines for issuance of a COVID-19 safety travel certification is a necessity.

Indexed as

COVID-19QuarantineHumansPandemicsReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionSARS-CoV-2COVID-19RT-PCRSARS-CoV-2SerologyTravel certificate

Identifiers

PMID35123068
PMCPMC8809637
OpenAlexW4210418177

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.