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. 2021 Aug:114:117-125.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2021.04.021. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, associated epidemiological factors and antibody kinetics among healthcare workers in Connecticut

P Papasavas  1 , S Olugbile  2 , U Wu  3 , K Robinson  4 , A L Roberts  5 , D M O'Sullivan  6 , T McLaughlin  7 , J F Mather  6 , A C Steinberg  8 , R Orlando  9 , A Kumar  10
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, associated epidemiological factors and antibody kinetics among healthcare workers in Connecticut

P Papasavas et al. J Hosp Infect. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the front line of the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Comprehensive evaluation of the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) among HCWs in a large healthcare system could help to identify the impact of epidemiological factors and the presence of symptoms on the immune response to the infection over time.

Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies among HCWs, identify associated epidemiological factors and study antibody kinetics.

Methods: A longitudinal evaluation of the seroprevalence and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies was undertaken in approximately 30,000 HCWs in the largest healthcare system in Connecticut, USA.

Findings: At baseline, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among 6863 HCWs was 6.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.7-6.9%], and was highest among patient care support (16.7%), medical assistants (9.1%) and nurses (8.2%), and lower for physicians (3.8%) and advanced practice providers (4.5%). Seroprevalence was significantly higher among African Americans [odds ratio (OR) 3.26 compared with Caucasians, 95% CI 1.77-5.99], in participants with at least one symptom of COVID-19 (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.92-4.68), and in those reporting prior quarantine (OR 3.83, 95% CI 2.57-5.70). No symptoms were reported in 24% of seropositive participants. Among the 47% of participants who returned for a follow-up serological test, the seroreversion rate was 39.5% and the seroconversion rate was 2.2%. The incidence of re-infection in the seropositive group was zero.

Conclusion: Although there is a decline in the immunoglobulin G antibody signal over time, 60.5% of seropositive HCWs had maintained their seroconversion status after a median of 5.5 months.

Keywords: Antibodies; Healthcare workers; IgG; Kinetics; SARS-CoV-2; Seroprevalence.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of seroprevalence in Connecticut between the current study (solid line) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study (dashed line).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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