Protocol of a population-based prospective COVID-19 cohort study Munich, Germany (KoCo19).

Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100968562 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1471-2458 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14712458 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2001-

Coronavirus Infections/*epidemiology ; Coronavirus Infections/*prevention & control ; Pandemics/*prevention & control ; Pneumonia, Viral/*epidemiology ; Pneumonia, Viral/*prevention & control; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/transmission ; Germany/epidemiology ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Viral/transmission ; Prospective Studies ; Research Design

Background: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, public health interventions have been introduced globally in order to prevent the spread of the virus and avoid the overload of health care systems, especially for the most severely affected patients. Scientific studies to date have focused primarily on describing the clinical course of patients, identifying treatment options and developing vaccines. In Germany, as in many other regions, current tests for SARS-CoV2 are not conducted on a representative basis and in a longitudinal design. Furthermore, knowledge about the immune status of the population is lacking. Nonetheless, these data are needed to understand the dynamics of the pandemic and hence to appropriately design and evaluate interventions. For this purpose, we recently started a prospective population-based cohort in Munich, Germany, with the aim to develop a better understanding of the state and dynamics of the pandemic.
Methods: In 100 out of 755 randomly selected constituencies, 3000 Munich households are identified via random route and offered enrollment into the study. All household members are asked to complete a baseline questionnaire and subjects ≥14 years of age are asked to provide a venous blood sample of ≤3 ml for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgA status. The residual plasma and the blood pellet are preserved for later genetic and molecular biological investigations. For twelve months, each household member is asked to keep a diary of daily symptoms, whereabouts and contacts via WebApp. If symptoms suggestive for COVID-19 are reported, family members, including children < 14 years, are offered a pharyngeal swab taken at the Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, LMU University Hospital Munich, for molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2. In case of severe symptoms, participants will be transferred to a Munich hospital. For one year, the study teams re-visits the households for blood sampling every six weeks.
Discussion: With the planned study we will establish a reliable epidemiological tool to improve the understanding of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to better assess the effectiveness of public health measures as well as their socio-economic effects. This will support policy makers in managing the epidemic based on scientific evidence.

Erratum in: BMC Public Health. 2020 Sep 1;20(1):1335. (PMID: 32873261)

BMC Med Res Methodol. 2019 Jan 7;19(1):5. (PMID: 30616507)
Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2020 Apr;11(2):74-80. (PMID: 32257772)
Dermatol Ther. 2020 Jul;33(4):e13329. (PMID: 32216130)
Science. 2020 Mar 27;367(6485):1414-1415. (PMID: 32217707)
Lancet. 2020 Feb 29;395(10225):689-697. (PMID: 32014114)
BMC Public Health. 2018 Nov 14;18(1):1256. (PMID: 30428871)
World Health Stat Q. 1985;38(1):65-75. (PMID: 4002731)
JAMA. 2020 Apr 14;323(14):1335. (PMID: 32181795)
Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Aug;42(4):1012-4. (PMID: 24062287)
J Marriage Fam. 2015 Feb;77(1):277-294. (PMID: 26113748)
BMJ. 2020 Apr 6;369:m1379. (PMID: 32253182)
J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Apr 06;35(13):e143. (PMID: 32242349)
Bull Math Biol. 2020 Apr 8;82(4):52. (PMID: 32270376)
J Clin Med. 2020 Mar 31;9(4):. (PMID: 32244365)
N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 5;382(10):970-971. (PMID: 32003551)
J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Mar 16;35(10):e112. (PMID: 32174069)
N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 26;382(13):1194-1196. (PMID: 32074416)
Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2020 Mar;63(3):254-266. (PMID: 32047976)
Eur J Clin Invest. 2020 Mar 23;:e13223. (PMID: 32202659)
Chemotherapy. 2019;64(5-6):215-223. (PMID: 32259829)
Lancet. 2020 Apr 4;395(10230):1093-1094. (PMID: 32247381)
J Public Health (Oxf). 2019 Jun 1;41(2):e141-e151. (PMID: 29982746)
JAMA Intern Med. 2020 Jul 1;180(7):927-928. (PMID: 32259190)
JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2020 Apr 20;6(2):e18941. (PMID: 32250957)
Anesth Analg. 2020 Jul;131(1):86-92. (PMID: 32243287)
Gesundheitswesen. 2016 Feb;78(2):84-90. (PMID: 26906532)
Nature. 2020 Apr;580(7803):316-318. (PMID: 32242115)
Nature. 2020 May;581(7809):465-469. (PMID: 32235945)
Lancet Infect Dis. 2020 Jun;20(6):669-677. (PMID: 32240634)
Int J Surg. 2020 Apr;76:71-76. (PMID: 32112977)
Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2012 Jun;55(6-7):767-74. (PMID: 22736154)
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Jul 06;(7):CD006207. (PMID: 21735402)
Eur Respir J. 1994 May;7(5):954-60. (PMID: 8050554)

Investigator: A Bakuli; J Eckstein; G Froeschl; O Geisenberger; C Geldmacher; A Heiber; L Hoffmann; K Huber; D Metaxa; M Pletschette; C Rothe; M Schunk; C Wallrauch; T Zimmer; S Prückner; C Fuchs; J Hasenauer; N Castelletti; E Zeggini; M Laxy; R Leidl; L Schwettmann
Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus infections/epidemiology; Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay; Geographic information systems; Models, economic; Pandemics; Panel study; Socio-economic factors; Spatial analysis; Stress, psychological

Date Created: 20200702 Date Completed: 20200702 Latest Revision: 20240329

20240329

PMC7324773

10.1186/s12889-020-09164-9

32605549