High SARS-CoV-2 viral load in travellers arriving in Spain with a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure

Andrea Molero-Salinas; Carla Rico-Luna; Carmen Losada; Sergio Buenestado-Serrano; Víctor Manuel de la Cueva García; José Egido; Javier Adán-Jiménez; Pilar Catalán; Patricia Muñoz; Laura Pérez-Lago; Darío García de Viedma

doi:10.1093/jtm/taab180

High SARS-CoV-2 viral load in travellers arriving in Spain with a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure

J Travel Med. 2022 May 31;29(3):taab180. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taab180.

Authors

Andrea Molero-Salinas^{1

2}, Carla Rico-Luna^{1

2}, Carmen Losada^{1

2}, Sergio Buenestado-Serrano^{1

2}, Víctor Manuel de la Cueva García^{1

2}, José Egido^{1

2}, Javier Adán-Jiménez^{1

2}, Pilar Catalán^{1

2

3}, Patricia Muñoz^{1

2

3

4}, Laura Pérez-Lago^{1

2}, Darío García de Viedma^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Servicio de Microbiología Clínica y Enfermedades Infecciosas, Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital, Madrid 28007, Spain.
² Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid 28007, Spain.
³ CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain.
⁴ Departamento de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid 28040, Spain.

Abstract

Hundred and ninety-six travellers with negative-COVID-19-tests prior to departure tested positive, on arrival at Madrid (April/June 2021), from a total of 45 211 travellers tested (0.43%). Viral loads (Ct: 20.3) were higher compared to the general population (Ct: 27.09). Our data reveal weaknesses in pre-departure testing and alert about high-viral-load-SARS-CoV-2 carriers in intercontinental flights.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; high viral load; travellers.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19*
Humans
RNA, Viral
SARS-CoV-2*
Spain / epidemiology
Viral Load

Substances

RNA, Viral