TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and Severity of Symptoms 3 Months After Infection With SARS-CoV-2 Compared to Test-Negative and Population Controls in the Netherlands
AU - van der Maaden, Tessa
AU - Mutubuki, Elizabeth N.
AU - de Bruijn, Siméon
AU - Leung, Ka Yin
AU - Knoop, Hans
AU - Slootweg, Jaap
AU - Tulen, Anna D.
AU - Wong, Albert
AU - van Hoek, Albert Jan
AU - Franz, Eelco
AU - van den Wijngaard, Cees C.
N1 - Funding Information: Financial support. This work was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and executed by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/5/1
Y1 - 2023/5/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: This prospective study assesses symptoms 3 months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection compared to test-negative and population controls, and the effect of vaccination prior to infection. METHODS: Participants enrolled after a positive (cases) or negative (test-negative controls) SARS-CoV-2 test, or after invitation from the general population (population controls). After 3 months, participants indicated presence of 41 symptoms and severity of 4 symptoms. Permutation tests were used to select symptoms significantly elevated in cases compared to controls and to compare symptoms between cases that were vaccinated or unvaccinated prior to infection. RESULTS: In total, 9166 cases, 1698 symptomatic but test-negative controls, and 3708 population controls enrolled. At 3 months, 13 symptoms, and severity of fatigue, cognitive impairment, and dyspnea were significantly elevated incases compared to controls. Of cases, 48.5% reported ≥1 significantly elevated symptom compared to 29.8% of test-negative controls and 26.0% of population controls. Effect of vaccination could be determined for cases aged <65 years, and was significantly protective for loss of smell and taste but not for other symptoms. DISCUSSION: Three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, almost half of cases report symptoms, which was higher than background prevalence and test-negative prevalence. Vaccination prior to infection was protective against loss of smell and taste in cases aged <65 years.
AB - BACKGROUND: This prospective study assesses symptoms 3 months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection compared to test-negative and population controls, and the effect of vaccination prior to infection. METHODS: Participants enrolled after a positive (cases) or negative (test-negative controls) SARS-CoV-2 test, or after invitation from the general population (population controls). After 3 months, participants indicated presence of 41 symptoms and severity of 4 symptoms. Permutation tests were used to select symptoms significantly elevated in cases compared to controls and to compare symptoms between cases that were vaccinated or unvaccinated prior to infection. RESULTS: In total, 9166 cases, 1698 symptomatic but test-negative controls, and 3708 population controls enrolled. At 3 months, 13 symptoms, and severity of fatigue, cognitive impairment, and dyspnea were significantly elevated incases compared to controls. Of cases, 48.5% reported ≥1 significantly elevated symptom compared to 29.8% of test-negative controls and 26.0% of population controls. Effect of vaccination could be determined for cases aged <65 years, and was significantly protective for loss of smell and taste but not for other symptoms. DISCUSSION: Three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, almost half of cases report symptoms, which was higher than background prevalence and test-negative prevalence. Vaccination prior to infection was protective against loss of smell and taste in cases aged <65 years.
KW - COVID-19
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - dyspnea
KW - fatigue
KW - long COVID
KW - long-term symptoms
KW - post–COVID-19 condition
KW - prevalence
KW - symptoms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85159240405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac474
DO - https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac474
M3 - Article
C2 - 36477364
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 227
SP - 1059
EP - 1067
JO - The Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - The Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 9
ER -