Impact of antigen test target failure and testing strategies on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Claudia Del Vecchio; Bethan Cracknell Daniels; Giuseppina Brancaccio; Alessandra Rosalba Brazzale; Enrico Lavezzo; Constanze Ciavarella; Francesco Onelia; Elisa Franchin; Laura Manuto; Federico Bianca; Vito Cianci; Anna Maria Cattelan; Ilaria Dorigatti; Stefano Toppo; Andrea Crisanti

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-33460-0

Nature Communications (Oct 2022)

Impact of antigen test target failure and testing strategies on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Claudia Del Vecchio,
Bethan Cracknell Daniels,
Giuseppina Brancaccio,
Alessandra Rosalba Brazzale,
Enrico Lavezzo,
Constanze Ciavarella,
Francesco Onelia,
Elisa Franchin,
Laura Manuto,
Federico Bianca,
Vito Cianci,
Anna Maria Cattelan,
Ilaria Dorigatti,
Stefano Toppo,
Andrea Crisanti

Affiliations

Claudia Del Vecchio: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Bethan Cracknell Daniels: MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London
Giuseppina Brancaccio: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Alessandra Rosalba Brazzale: Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua
Enrico Lavezzo: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Constanze Ciavarella: MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London
Francesco Onelia: Microbiology and Virology Diagnostic Unit, Padua University Hospital
Elisa Franchin: Microbiology and Virology Diagnostic Unit, Padua University Hospital
Laura Manuto: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Federico Bianca: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Vito Cianci: ER Unit, Emergency-Urgency Department, Padua University Hospital
Anna Maria Cattelan: Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Padua University Hospital
Ilaria Dorigatti: MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and Jameel Institute, School of Public Health, Imperial College London
Stefano Toppo: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua
Andrea Crisanti: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33460-0
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 16

Abstract

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Increasing reliance on antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 screening may risk selection for variants not detected by these tests. Here, the authors identify a variant of this type circulating in Italy, estimate the potential impact of failure to detect the variant, and model testing strategies to mitigate the risk.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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