Viral Excretion in Contact Subjects at High/Moderate Risk of Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Infection. COVID-19.

Viral Excretion in Contact Subjects at High/Moderate Risk of Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Infection

In December 2019, a pneumonia due to a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the city of Wuhan, in China. In a few weeks, the number of confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection has dramatically increased, with almost 150'000 cases and more than 6'000 reported deaths on March, 16th 2020.

Little is known on the rate of human-to-human transmission of this new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the community and within the hospital.

Depending on the country, contact subjects considered to be at high or moderate risk of SARS-CoV-2 are, either isolated at home for a period of time defined by the health authorities or, on the contrary, continue their professional activity on the condition that they adopt measures to prevent transmission to those around them. In most European countries, healthcare workers adopt this second option. In all cases, it is most often recommended that contact persons monitor their state of health and communicate it to the persons dedicated to this action.

Whether such subjects become spreaders of the virus is not known, nor is the proportion of viral spreader who will develop a symptomatic infection.

Procedures added by the research:

Phone calls for collection of reported symptoms. Nasopharyngeal swabs for determination of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 detected by PCR.

Blood sampling for determination of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgM or IgG. Saliva or blood sampling for whole exome sequencing of the subject.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. High/moderate risk contact with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 case;
2. Within the 14 days following the last contact with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 case;
3. Obtaining informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subject deprived of freedom
• Subject under a legal protective measure