Screening for COVID-19: Patient factors predicting positive PCR test

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020 Aug;41(8):968-969. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.249. Epub 2020 May 19.

Abstract

To inform the efficient allocation of testing resources, we evaluated the characteristics of those tested for COVID-19 to determine predictors of a positive test. Recent travel and exposure to a confirmed case were both highly predictive of positive testing. Symptom-based screening strategies alone may be inadequate to control the ongoing pandemic.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asymptomatic Infections
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minnesota
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction*
  • Risk Assessment
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Travel*