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Fragaszy E, Shrotri M, Geismar C, Aryee A, Beale S, Braithwaite I, Byrne T, Eyre MT, Fong WLE, Gibbs J, Hardelid P, Kovar J, Lampos V, Nastouli E, Navaratnam AM, Nguyen V, Patel P, Aldridge RW, Hayward A. Symptom profiles and accuracy of clinical case definitions for COVID-19 in a community cohort: results from the Virus Watch study. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:84. [PMID: 37745779 PMCID: PMC10514573 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17479.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Understanding symptomatology and accuracy of clinical case definitions for community COVID-19 cases is important for Test, Trace and Isolate (TTI) and future targeting of early antiviral treatment. Methods: Community cohort participants prospectively recorded daily symptoms and swab results (mainly undertaken through the UK TTI system). We compared symptom frequency, severity, timing, and duration in test positive and negative illnesses. We compared the test performance of the current UK TTI case definition (cough, high temperature, or loss of or altered sense of smell or taste) with a wider definition adding muscle aches, chills, headache, or loss of appetite. Results: Among 9706 swabbed illnesses, including 973 SARS-CoV-2 positives, symptoms were more common, severe and longer lasting in swab positive than negative illnesses. Cough, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches were the most common symptoms in positive illnesses but also common in negative illnesses. Conversely, high temperature, loss or altered sense of smell or taste and loss of appetite were less frequent in positive illnesses, but comparatively even less frequent in negative illnesses. The current UK definition had 81% sensitivity and 47% specificity versus 93% and 27% respectively for the broader definition. 1.7-fold more illnesses met the broader case definition than the current definition. Conclusions: Symptoms alone cannot reliably distinguish COVID-19 from other respiratory illnesses. Adding additional symptoms to case definitions could identify more infections, but with a large increase in the number needing testing and the number of unwell individuals and contacts self-isolating whilst awaiting results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Fragaszy
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Madhumita Shrotri
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cyril Geismar
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Aryee
- Centre of Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Sarah Beale
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Isobel Braithwaite
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Byrne
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Max T. Eyre
- Centre of Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Wing Lam Erica Fong
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jo Gibbs
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Pia Hardelid
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jana Kovar
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vasileios Lampos
- Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Annalan M.D. Navaratnam
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vincent Nguyen
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Parth Patel
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert W. Aldridge
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Hayward
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Virus Watch Collaborative
- Centre for Public Health Data Science, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
- Centre of Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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