Dynamics and Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Testing on Symptomatic Individuals Attending Healthcare Centers during 2020 in Bahia, Brazil

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 14; no. 7; p. 1549
• Main Authors: Pereira, Felicidade Mota, Salomão de Araujo, Aline, Catarina Martins Reis, Ana, Santos da Hora, Anadilton, Pinotti, Francesco, Paton, Robert S, Vilas Boas Figueiredo, Camylla, Lopes Damasceno, Caroline, Carlos Dos Santos, Daiana, Souza de Santana, Daniele, Freitas Sales, Danielle, Ariana Andrade Brandão, Evelyn, da Silva Batista, Everton, Campos de Sousa, Fulvia Soares, Santana Menezes, Gabriela, Silveira Dos Santos, Jackeline, Gomes Lima, Jaqueline, Tadeu Brito, Jean, Dandara Dos Santos, Lenisa, Reboredo, Luciana, Santana Santos, Maiara, Kelly Astete Gomez, Marcela, Freitas da Cruz, Marcia, Rosa Ampuero, Mariana, Guerra Lemos da Silva, Mariele, S da Paixão Melo, Mariza, Ferreira da Silva, Marta, de Jesus Gonçalves Dos Santos, Nadja, de Souza Pessoa, Núbia, Silva de Araujo, Ramile, de Macedo Godim, Taiane, Fraga de Oliveira Tosta, Stephane, Brandão Nardy, Vanessa, Cristina Faria, Elaine, Frederico de Carvalho Dominguez Souza, Breno, Laís Almeida Dos Santos, Jessica, Wikramaratna, Paul, Giovanetti, Marta, Alcântara, Luiz Carlos Junior, Lourenço, José, Leal E Silva de Mello, Arabela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15-07-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 Testing; Delivery of Health Care; Education; Health care; Humans; Laboratories; Male; Pandemics; Polymerase chain reaction; Public health; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; surveillance; Testing; Yellow fever; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection; Brazil; Italy; Brazil; SARS-CoV-2; surveillance; RT-PCR; testing
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v14071549

RT-PCR testing data provides opportunities to explore regional and individual determinants of test positivity and surveillance infrastructure. Using Generalized Additive Models, we explored 222,515 tests of a random sample of individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms in the Brazilian state of Bahia during 2020. We found that age and male gender were the most significant determinants of test positivity. There was evidence of an unequal impact among socio-demographic strata, with higher positivity among those living in areas with low education levels during the first epidemic wave, followed by those living in areas with higher education levels in the second wave. Our estimated probability of testing positive after symptom onset corroborates previous reports that the probability decreases with time, more than halving by about two weeks and converging to zero by three weeks. Test positivity rates generally followed state-level reported cases, and while a single laboratory performed ~90% of tests covering ~99% of the state's area, test turn-around time generally remained below four days. This testing effort is a testimony to the Bahian surveillance capacity during public health emergencies, as previously witnessed during the recent Zika and Yellow Fever outbreaks.