E-Poster Presentation Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting 2021

Agility in providing SARS-CoV-2 screening using real-time RT-PCR in a hospital in East Java, Indonesia (#261)

Ferdy R Marpaung 1 2 , Aryati Aryati 2 , Rini Murtisari 1 , Maharani Ayu 1 , Titiek Ernawati 1 , Wahyu Hendardi 1 , Tjipto Wibowo 1 , Nigel McMillan 3 , Hanna E Sidjabat 3
  1. Primasatya Husada Citra Hospital, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
  2. Department of Clinical Pathology, Dr. Soetomo Tertiary Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
  3. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Background: SARS-CoV-2, an RNA virus has been causing significant catastrophe worldwide through the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapid and accurate detection, such as using real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR has been providing accurate and rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we study the clinical features of COVID-19 patients in a hospital in an area with a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.

Materials and Methods: A prospective study was performed to identify the clinical features of COVID-19 patients. Adult patients age ≥18 years old with at least one detected positive by real-time RT PCR between 1 June 2020 to 28 February 2021 were included in this study. A total of 1263 patients were analysed for the COVID-19 symptoms. Patients were regularly tested every 5-7 days until the results negative and recover from the symptoms prior to hospital discharge. The SARS-CoV-2 molecular screening laboratory was established in March 2020 and started its SARS-CoV-2 screening in May 2020.

Results and discussion: Onsite SARS-CoV-2 molecular screening capability in the hospital had provided same day accurate results in essential evidence for the COVID-19 patient management. The average age of the COVID-19 patients was 40.63 with a range of 18 to 82 years old. Identified symptoms included fever (15%), cough (9.1%), headache (15.6%), fatigue (19.3%), anosmia (13.5%) and diarrhoea (4.7%).  Thirteen of 1263 COVID-19 patients died (age 57.4 ± 14.15 or age range of 37 to 81 years old). The deceased patients were 10 male and 3 female patients who showed moderate to severe respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 and fever. Two male and one female patient had hypertension. 

Conclusions: COVID-19 patients were frequently associated with mild symptoms. Severe respiratory distress and fever amplified with hypertension were likely to cause death in 1% of patients. Real-time RT-PCR has provided essential evidence for the management of COVID-19 patients. Potential in-house genome sequencing or further advanced cost-efficient molecular rapid testing is highly recommended to identify the variants of SARS-CoV-2.