High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1526

. 2021 Feb 16;104(4):1526-1530.

doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1526.

High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Denis Mukwege^{1

2}, Aline Kusinza Byabene², Eric Mungu Akonkwa^{1

2}, Hafid Dahma³, Nicolas Dauby^{4

5

6}, Jean-Paul Cikwanine Buhendwa², Anne Le Coadou⁵, Isabel Montesinos³, Marie Bruyneel⁷, Guy-Bernard Cadière⁸, Olivier Vandenberg^{5

9}, Yves Van Laethem⁴

Affiliations

¹ 1Gynaecology and General Surgery, Panzi General Referral Hospital, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
² 2Faculty of Medicine, Evangelical University in Africa, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
³ 3Department of Microbiology, LHUB-ULB, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁴ 4Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁵ 5Centre for Environmental Health and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁶ 6Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁷ 7Department of Pulmonary Medicine, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁸ 8Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, European School of Laparoscopic Surgery, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁹ 9Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

PMID: 33591936
PMCID: PMC8045652
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1526

High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Denis Mukwege et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021.

. 2021 Feb 16;104(4):1526-1530.

doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1526.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ 1Gynaecology and General Surgery, Panzi General Referral Hospital, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
² 2Faculty of Medicine, Evangelical University in Africa, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
³ 3Department of Microbiology, LHUB-ULB, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁴ 4Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁵ 5Centre for Environmental Health and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁶ 6Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁷ 7Department of Pulmonary Medicine, CHU Saint-Pierre, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
⁸ 8Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, European School of Laparoscopic Surgery, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
⁹ 9Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

PMID: 33591936
PMCID: PMC8045652
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1526

Abstract

Among 359 healthcare workers (HCW) employed in Panzi General Referral Hospital located in Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 148 (41.2%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Thirty-three (22.3%) of the 148 personnel with positive serology reported symptoms evoking a prior COVID-19 illness. None of the infected HCWs reported COVID-related hospitalization, and all of them recovered. Our findings indicate high and underestimated circulation of SARS-CoV-2 within the Bukavu area.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: N. D. is a post-doctorate clinical master specialist of the F.R.S.-FNRS. This work is dedicated to the healthcare workers, the patients, and families affected by SARS-CoV-2.

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References

1. Juma CA, Mushabaa NK, Abdu Salam F, Ahmadi A, Lucero-Prisno DE, III, 2020. COVID-19: the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Am J Trop Med Hyg 103: 2168–2170. - PMC - PubMed
1. Steensels D, Oris E, Coninx L, Nuyens D, Delforge ML, Vermeersch P, Heylen L, 2020. Hospital-wide SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening in 3056 staff in a tertiary center in Belgium. JAMA 324: 195–197. - PMC - PubMed
1. Gómez-Ochoa SA, Franco OH, Rojas LZ, Raguindin PF, Roa-Díaz ZM, Wyssmann BM, Guevara SLR, Echeverría LE, Glisic M, Muka T, 2021. COVID-19 in health-care workers: a living systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Am J Epidemiol 190: 161–175. - PMC - PubMed
1. Chibwana MG, et al. 2020. High SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in health care workers but relatively low numbers of deaths in urban Malawi. medrxiv. 10.1101/2020.07.30.20164970. - DOI
1. Mertens P, et al. 2020. Development and potential usefulness of the COVID-19 Ag respi-strip diagnostic assay in a pandemic context. Front Med 7: 225. - PMC - PubMed

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[1] Juma CA, Mushabaa NK, Abdu Salam F, Ahmadi A, Lucero-Prisno DE, III, 2020. COVID-19: the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Am J Trop Med Hyg 103: 2168–2170. - PMC - PubMed

[2] Juma CA, Mushabaa NK, Abdu Salam F, Ahmadi A, Lucero-Prisno DE, III, 2020. COVID-19: the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Am J Trop Med Hyg 103: 2168–2170. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Steensels D, Oris E, Coninx L, Nuyens D, Delforge ML, Vermeersch P, Heylen L, 2020. Hospital-wide SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening in 3056 staff in a tertiary center in Belgium. JAMA 324: 195–197. - PMC - PubMed

[4] Steensels D, Oris E, Coninx L, Nuyens D, Delforge ML, Vermeersch P, Heylen L, 2020. Hospital-wide SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening in 3056 staff in a tertiary center in Belgium. JAMA 324: 195–197. - PMC - PubMed

[5] Gómez-Ochoa SA, Franco OH, Rojas LZ, Raguindin PF, Roa-Díaz ZM, Wyssmann BM, Guevara SLR, Echeverría LE, Glisic M, Muka T, 2021. COVID-19 in health-care workers: a living systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Am J Epidemiol 190: 161–175. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Gómez-Ochoa SA, Franco OH, Rojas LZ, Raguindin PF, Roa-Díaz ZM, Wyssmann BM, Guevara SLR, Echeverría LE, Glisic M, Muka T, 2021. COVID-19 in health-care workers: a living systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. Am J Epidemiol 190: 161–175. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Chibwana MG, et al. 2020. High SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in health care workers but relatively low numbers of deaths in urban Malawi. medrxiv. 10.1101/2020.07.30.20164970. - DOI

[8] Chibwana MG, et al. 2020. High SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in health care workers but relatively low numbers of deaths in urban Malawi. medrxiv. 10.1101/2020.07.30.20164970. - DOI

[9] Mertens P, et al. 2020. Development and potential usefulness of the COVID-19 Ag respi-strip diagnostic assay in a pandemic context. Front Med 7: 225. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Mertens P, et al. 2020. Development and potential usefulness of the COVID-19 Ag respi-strip diagnostic assay in a pandemic context. Front Med 7: 225. - PMC - PubMed

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High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

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High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Healthcare Workers in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

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