Infection without symptoms makes health work difficult

Anyone can spread the coronavirus. Far from everyone has symptoms. Stock Photography.Image: Amir Nabizadeh / TT

The infection clinic in Malmö has been hit by a major COVID-19 outbreak among staff. Before long, more than 30 nurses and a dozen doctors tested positive for the virus, many of whom had no symptoms.

– It does not seem to have been so much in the work with the patients, but more in the corridors and staff rooms. Now the recommendation is that the staff should always have a visor and mouth guard so that they get tested regularly, which is probably right, says Åsa Melhus, a professor of clinical bacteriology and active at Uppsala University Hospital, and whose special interest it is healthcare hygiene, that is, infection in healthcare settings. .

The spread of infection at the infection clinic in Malmö is a good example of the asymptomatic spread of infection found in covid-19.

– At first, the WHO said that the virus was only infected with symptoms, because sars, which is also a coronavirus, behaved that way. But very soon there were studies in China that showed that even people without symptoms can transmit the infection. You can probably go through the whole infection without even understanding it and that’s what makes this virus so terribly misleading and so difficult to stop, says Åsa Melhus.

No one knows how much of the spread of infection is due to asymptomatic carriers.

– There are several different studies that show everything from 20 to 70 or 80 percent. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, says Åsa Melhus.

It is also known that a small group of infected people probably accounts for a large part of the spread of infection. Therefore, many do not transmit the infection at all, while others infect many, so-called super-spreaders.

Also, there does not appear to be a correlation between the amount of virus in the nose and throat and the severity of symptoms.

– In sars it was like that. They then learned that those who ended up with iva often had many viruses, but that does not seem to be the case for this virus, says Åsa Melhus.

All of this speaks in favor of wearing mouth guards, you might think. However, Åsa Melhus has doubts.

– They can be a complement, but not a solution. The problem with mouth guards is that they only protect others and it only makes sense if everyone has them. The most effective thing we can do is close the partnership, but it is difficult. So the smart thing to do is stay home, keep your distance, and wash your hands. SARS studies have shown that clean hands cut the risk of infection in half, which is not so bad, says Åsa Melhus.

The new coronavirus is far from the only virus that can spread without symptoms.

– It’s quite common. Glandular fever and chickenpox are also such diseases, while almost everyone, 95 percent, has symptoms of measles. But for this virus, there are several different parts that make it so troublesome and that is why we have such a large spread. The coronavirus can have many different faces. Mers and sars have a high mortality rate, while other known coronaviruses only cause a common cold, says Åsa Melhus.

Another problem is that society is always one step behind the actual spread of the infection.

– Due to incubation periods and disease progression, we are never in phase, but usually several weeks later. You always have to remember that, says Åsa Melhus.

Although several vaccines will be approved soon, Åsa Melhus doesn’t think the virus will go away.

This is not a fun time and hopefully the vaccine will make a difference, but the virus is probably here to stay. I find it hard to believe that you can be vaccinated against this disease.