Seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies among healthcare personnel in the Midwestern United States, September 2020–April 2021

• Published in: Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE 2023-08, Vol.3 (1), p.e133-e133, Article e133
• Main Authors: Bosserman, Rachel E., Farnsworth, Christopher W., O’Neil, Caroline A., Cass, Candice, Park, Daniel, Ballman, Claire, Wallace, Meghan A., Struttmann, Emily, Stewart, Henry, Arter, Olivia, Peacock, Kate, Fraser, Victoria J., Budge, Philip J., Olsen, Margaret A., Burnham, Carey-Ann D., Babcock, Hilary M., Kwon, Jennie H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Asymptomatic; COVID-19; Demographics; Disease transmission; Drug stores; Health care; Hospitals; Infections; Laboratories; Original; Pandemics; Patients; Risk factors; Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Social distancing; Therapists
• ISSN: 2732-494X; 2732-494X
• DOI: 10.1017/ash.2022.375

Objective:To determine the prevalence of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG nucleocapsid (N) antibodies among healthcare personnel (HCP) with no prior history of COVID-19 and to identify factors associated with seropositivity.Design:Prospective cohort study.Setting:An academic, tertiary-care hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.Participants:The study included 400 HCP aged ≥18 years who potentially worked with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and had no known history of COVID-19; 309 of these HCP also completed a follow-up visit 70–160 days after enrollment. Enrollment visits took place between September and December 2020. Follow-up visits took place between December 2020 and April 2021.Methods:At each study visit, participants underwent SARS-CoV-2 IgG N-antibody testing using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay and completed a survey providing information about demographics, job characteristics, comorbidities, symptoms, and potential SARS-CoV-2 exposures.Results:Participants were predominately women (64%) and white (79%), with median age of 34.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 30–45). Among the 400 HCP, 18 (4.5%) were seropositive for IgG N-antibodies at enrollment. Also, 34 (11.0%) of 309 were seropositive at follow-up. HCP who reported having a household contact with COVID-19 had greater likelihood of seropositivity at both enrollment and at follow-up.Conclusions:In this cohort of HCP during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, ∼1 in 20 had serological evidence of prior, undocumented SARS-CoV-2 infection at enrollment. Having a household contact with COVID-19 was associated with seropositivity.