Outbreaks
Conditions
Keywords
respiratory virus outbreaks, outbreak mitigation, long-term care home
Brief summary
Outbreaks of seasonal respiratory viruses can spread rapidly in long-term care homes. Timely results for diagnostic tests remains a challenge for respiratory viruses due to the logistics of using a reference laboratory with delays leading to missed opportunities to implement virus-specific control measures to interrupt transmission resulting in larger outbreaks. Use of a point-of-care testing platform is a potential solution that provides faster results, but it is uncertain whether this translates into benefits for long-term care residents. This trial aims to assess whether rapid test results for respiratory pathogens (Influenza, Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus) can impact the number and size of respiratory virus outbreaks in long-term care homes.
Interventions
DEVICEPoint-of-care respiratory test platform
A point-of-care respiratory multiplex testing platform situated within a long-term care facility to provide rapid test results
OTHERExisting respiratory virus testing platform
Currently used respiratory virus testing platforms
Sponsors
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Humber River Health
Michael Garron Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Cluster Randomized Trial
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
\- Long-term care facility engaged with an Ontario Health Team overseen by Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Michael Garron Hospital or Humber River Health
Exclusion criteria
* No signed statement of agreement for study participation * Pre-existing use of a point-of-care testing platform
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of long-term care residents infected with COVID-19, Influenza, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) | 7 months | The number of long-term care residents who contract Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV separated into the number of residents infected after an introduction is identified and the size of an outbreak of each virus. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The number of long-term care residents infected during an outbreak of Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV | 28 days | The number of long-term care residents with a confirmed or suspected Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV infection during each outbreak as tracked by the local Public Health Unit |
| Frequency of hospital transfers for long-term care residents infected with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV | 14 days | The number of hospital transfers for long-term care residents with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV |
| The number of outbreaks of Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV | 7 months | The number of Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV outbreaks as declared by the local Public Health Unit |
| Duration of outbreaks in of Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV in long-term care facilities | 60 days | The total duration of an outbreak of Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV as declared by the local Public Health Unit |
| Secondary attack rate of high-risk exposures to each long-term care resident with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV infection | 28 days | The proportion of identified high risk contacts of an infected long-term care resident with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV infection |
| Number of deaths in long-term care residents infected with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV | 28 days | The number of long-term care residents who die following an infection with Influenza, COVID-19 or RSV |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
Primary ContactChristopher Kandel, MD, PhD
Backup ContactJerome Leis, MD, MSc
Outcome results
None listed