Bálint Szalai1, Éva Hercegh1, Nóra Magyar1, Dániel Déri1, Mónika Rózsa1, Zsuzsanna Molnár2, Dávid Kuti1, Zoltán Kis1,3, Katalin Szomor1, Mária Takács1,3, Erzsébet Barcsay1. 1. Mikrobiológiai Referencia Laboratóriumi Főosztály, Virológiai Laboratóriumi Osztály,Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ, Budapest, Albert Flórián út 2-6., 1097. 2. Járványügyi és Infekciókontroll Főosztály, Járványügyi és Védőoltási Surveillance Osztály,Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ, Budapest. 3. Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Orvosi Mikrobiológiai Intézet,Semmelweis Egyetem, Budapest.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In Hungary, SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in the swab samples of two Iranian patients on March 4, 2020. After finding the first positive cases, the question arose whether the virus had entered Hungary and caused infections before this date. Before March 4, 2020, except for the two above-mentioned samples, none of the 224 swab samples received specifically for SARS-CoV-2 tested positive. AIM: The National Reference Laboratory for Respiratory Viruses of the National Public Health Center aimed to carry out a retrospective study of the swab and other samples taken for testing respiratory virus infections between January 1, and April 19, 2020 sent by sentinel physicians within the influenza surveillance for diagnostic purposes. METHOD: For the study, we used swab samples taken weekly by sentinel physicians of the influenza surveillance service, and other samples received for diagnostic purposes. Tests were performed using real-time PCR. RESULTS: All the 465 swab samples sent by sentinel physicians were found to be SARS-CoV-2 negative. Also, of the 551 samples collected for diagnostic reasons of other respiratory viruses, no SARS-CoV-2 positive was found among those taken before March 4. CONCLUSION: Based on our data, it is very likely that prior to the first cases diagnosed on March 4, 2020, SARS-CoV-2 did not cause clinically symptomatic infections in Hungary. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(38): 1619-1622.
INTRODUCTION: In Hungary, SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in the swab samples of two Iranian patients on March 4, 2020. After finding the first positive cases, the question arose whether the virus had entered Hungary and caused infections before this date. Before March 4, 2020, except for the two above-mentioned samples, none of the 224 swab samples received specifically for SARS-CoV-2 tested positive. AIM: The National Reference Laboratory for Respiratory Viruses of the National Public Health Center aimed to carry out a retrospective study of the swab and other samples taken for testing respiratory virus infections between January 1, and April 19, 2020 sent by sentinel physicians within the influenza surveillance for diagnostic purposes. METHOD: For the study, we used swab samples taken weekly by sentinel physicians of the influenza surveillance service, and other samples received for diagnostic purposes. Tests were performed using real-time PCR. RESULTS: All the 465 swab samples sent by sentinel physicians were found to be SARS-CoV-2 negative. Also, of the 551 samples collected for diagnostic reasons of other respiratory viruses, no SARS-CoV-2 positive was found among those taken before March 4. CONCLUSION: Based on our data, it is very likely that prior to the first cases diagnosed on March 4, 2020, SARS-CoV-2 did not cause clinically symptomatic infections in Hungary. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(38): 1619-1622.
Authors: Magyar Nóra; Dániel Déri; Dániel Sándor Veres; Zoltán Kis; Erzsébet Barcsay; Bernadett Pályi Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-02-14 Impact factor: 3.240