Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019

Comparative Study

. 2021 Apr:110:60-66.

doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries

D Goldblatt¹, M Johnson², O Falup-Pecurariu³, I Ivaskeviciene⁴, V Spoulou⁵, E Tamm⁶, M Wagner⁷, H J Zar⁸, L Bleotu³, R Ivaskevicius⁴, I Papadatou⁹, P Jõgi⁶, J Lischka¹⁰, Z Franckling-Smith⁸, D Isarova¹¹, L Grandjean¹², D Zavadska¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK; Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: d.goldblatt@ucl.ac.uk.
² Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
³ Children's Clinic Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Transilvania University, Brasov, Romania.
⁴ Paediatric Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
⁵ 'Agia Sophia' Children's Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁶ Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
⁷ Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Neuropaediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, Comprehensive Centre for Paediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
⁸ Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross Children's Hospital, and SA-MRC Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁹ Immunobiology and Vaccinology Research Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
¹⁰ Clinical Division of Paediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Centre for Paediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
¹¹ Children's Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
¹² Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK; Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

PMID: 33422589
PMCID: PMC7836791
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019

Comparative Study

Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries

D Goldblatt et al. J Hosp Infect. 2021 Apr.

. 2021 Apr:110:60-66.

doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK; Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: d.goldblatt@ucl.ac.uk.
² Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
³ Children's Clinic Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Transilvania University, Brasov, Romania.
⁴ Paediatric Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
⁵ 'Agia Sophia' Children's Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁶ Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
⁷ Division of Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Neuropaediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, Comprehensive Centre for Paediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
⁸ Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross Children's Hospital, and SA-MRC Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁹ Immunobiology and Vaccinology Research Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
¹⁰ Clinical Division of Paediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Centre for Paediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
¹¹ Children's Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
¹² Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK; Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

PMID: 33422589
PMCID: PMC7836791
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which may be driven, in part, by nosocomial exposure. If HCW exposure is predominantly nosocomial, HCWs in paediatric facilities, where few patients are admitted with COVID-19, may lack antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and be at increased risk during the current resurgence.

Aim: To compare the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 amongst HCWs in paediatric facilities in seven European countries and South Africa (N=8).

Methods: All categories of paediatric HCWs were invited to participate in the study, irrespective of previous symptoms. A single blood sample was taken and data about previous symptoms were documented. Serum was shipped to a central laboratory in London where SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G was measured.

Findings: In total, 4114 HCWs were recruited between 1^st May and mid-July 2020. The range of seroprevalence was 0-16.93%. The highest seroprevalence was found in London (16.93%), followed by Cape Town, South Africa (10.36%). There were no positive HCWs in the Austrian, Estonian and Latvian cohorts; 2/300 [0.66%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-2.4] HCWs tested positive in Lithuania; 1/124 (0.81%, 95% CI 0.14-4.3) HCWs tested positive in Romania; and 1/76 (1.3%, 95% CI 0.23-7.0) HCWs tested positive in Greece.

Conclusion: Overall seroprevalence amongst paediatric HCWs is similar to their national populations and linked to the national COVID-19 burden. Staff working in paediatric facilities in low-burden countries have very low seroprevalence rates and thus are likely to be susceptible to COVID-19. Their susceptibility to infection may affect their ability to provide care in the face of increasing cases of COVID-19, and this highlights the need for appropriate preventative strategies in paediatric healthcare settings.

Keywords: COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Hospital workers; SARS-CoV-2; Seroprevalence.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Seroprevalence estimates for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 antinucleocapsid immunoglobulin G in healthcare worker cohorts in eight countries.

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References

1. To K.K., Tsang O.T., Leung W.S., Tam A.R., Wu T.C., Lung D.C. Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020;20:565–574. - PMC - PubMed
1. Nguyen L.H., Drew D.A., Graham M.S., Joshi A.D., Guo C.G., Ma W. Risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5:e475–e483. - PMC - PubMed
1. Rudberg A.S., Havervall S., Manberg A., Jernbom Falk A., Aguilera K., Ng H. SARS-CoV-2 exposure, symptoms and seroprevalence in healthcare workers in Sweden. Nat Commun. 2020;11:5064. - PMC - PubMed
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[1] To K.K., Tsang O.T., Leung W.S., Tam A.R., Wu T.C., Lung D.C. Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020;20:565–574. - PMC - PubMed

[2] To K.K., Tsang O.T., Leung W.S., Tam A.R., Wu T.C., Lung D.C. Temporal profiles of viral load in posterior oropharyngeal saliva samples and serum antibody responses during infection by SARS-CoV-2: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020;20:565–574. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Nguyen L.H., Drew D.A., Graham M.S., Joshi A.D., Guo C.G., Ma W. Risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5:e475–e483. - PMC - PubMed

[4] Nguyen L.H., Drew D.A., Graham M.S., Joshi A.D., Guo C.G., Ma W. Risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5:e475–e483. - PMC - PubMed

[5] Rudberg A.S., Havervall S., Manberg A., Jernbom Falk A., Aguilera K., Ng H. SARS-CoV-2 exposure, symptoms and seroprevalence in healthcare workers in Sweden. Nat Commun. 2020;11:5064. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Rudberg A.S., Havervall S., Manberg A., Jernbom Falk A., Aguilera K., Ng H. SARS-CoV-2 exposure, symptoms and seroprevalence in healthcare workers in Sweden. Nat Commun. 2020;11:5064. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Shields A., Faustini S.E., Perez-Toledo M., Jossi S., Aldera E., Allen J.D. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and asymptomatic viral carriage in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study. Thorax. 2020;75:1089–1094. - PMC - PubMed

[8] Shields A., Faustini S.E., Perez-Toledo M., Jossi S., Aldera E., Allen J.D. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and asymptomatic viral carriage in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study. Thorax. 2020;75:1089–1094. - PMC - PubMed

[9] Self W.H., Tenforde M.W., Stubblefield W.B., Feldstein L.R., Steingrub J.S., Shapiro N.I. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among frontline health care personnel in a multistate hospital network – 13 academic medical centers, April–June 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:1221–1226. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Self W.H., Tenforde M.W., Stubblefield W.B., Feldstein L.R., Steingrub J.S., Shapiro N.I. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among frontline health care personnel in a multistate hospital network – 13 academic medical centers, April–June 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:1221–1226. - PMC - PubMed

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Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries

Affiliations

Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries

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