Cycle Threshold to Test Positivity in COVID-19 for Return to Work Clearance in Health Care Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Blanc PD ; Clapp RN ; Domeracki S ; Lampiris H ; Lu CM ; Taylor K
• Description:
  Objective: To ascertain whether reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) cycle amplifications until detection, the cycle threshold (Ct), could help inform return to work (RTW) strategies for health care workers (HCWs) recovering from COVID-19 infection. Methods: Sequential Ct data from COVID-19 nasal pharyngeal (NP) RT-PCR testing in all COVID-19 positive HCWs at a single institution. Analysis of Ct in relation to time until negative testing for RTW clearance. Results: Data for 12 employees showed that time elapsed until RT-PCR test-based RTW clearance ranged from 7 to 57 days (median, 34.5 days). Lower initial Ct correlated with the total time elapsed until clearance (r = -0.80; P = 0.002). Conclusion: Considering the RT-PCR Ct, which correlates with the estimated viral load, may help inform RTW planning and decision making beyond solely relying on dichotomized positive/negative results. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Health Personnel Occupational Health Safety Viral Diseases
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: COVID-19 Coronavirus COVID-19 Cycle Threshold Number Health Care Workers Infectious Diseases Return To Work Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Viral Infections
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; California ; Florida ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  62
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062577
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2020 Nov; 62(11):889-891
• Contact Point Address:
  Paul D. Blanc, MD, MSPH, San Francisco VA Health Care System, 4150 Clement St. Mail Stop 11-C1, San Francisco, CA 94121
• Email:
  paul.blanc@ucsf.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  University of California, Berkeley
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f6699ac097917f10d5279e7bc5afdc1fb29358ebd70b7d1362045fee01d48a9ab3d01d82a74bf9d5724273bc2daacee750165f4c168da247932d20e11bca4116
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225791/cdc_225791_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 276.39 KB ]