Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies in Healthcare Personnel in El Salvador Prior to Vaccination Campaigns

• Published in: Infectious disease reports 2024-06, Vol.16 (3), p.531-542
• Main Authors: José Elías Aguilar Ramírez, Maliga, Adrianna, Stewart, Allison, Allison, Lino, Oliva, José Eduardo, Sandoval, Xochitl, Zielinski-Gutierrez, Emily, Chacon-Fuentes, Rafael, Suchdev, Parminder S, Zelaya, Susana, Sánchez, Mario, Recinos, Delmy Lisseth, López, Beatriz, Hawes, Ella, Liu, Julie, Ronca, Shannon E, Gunter, Sarah M, Murray, Kristy O, Domínguez, Rhina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Data collection; Disease; El Salvador; Employees; Health care; Hospitals; Households; Immunization; Immunoglobulin G; Infections; Infectious diseases; Laboratories; Medical personnel; Nurses; Occupational exposure; Occupational health; Pandemics; Personnel; Physicians; Population; Proteins; Public health; Questionnaires; Respiratory diseases; SARS-CoV-2; Serology; seroprevalence; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Sociodemographics; Spike protein; Variables; Viral diseases
• ISSN: 2036-7430; 2036-7449
• DOI: 10.3390/idr16030040

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly pathogenic emerging infectious disease. Healthcare personnel (HCP) are presumably at higher risk of acquiring emerging infections because of occupational exposure. The prevalence of COVID-19 in HCP is unknown, particularly in low- to middle-income countries like El Salvador. The goal of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among HCP in El Salvador just prior to vaccine rollout in March 2021. We evaluated 2176 participants from a nationally representative sample of national healthcare institutions. We found 40.4% (n = 880) of the study participants were seropositive for anti-spike protein antibodies. Significant factors associated with infection included younger age; living within the central, more populated zone of the country; living in a larger household (≥7 members); household members with COVID-19 or compatible symptoms; and those who worked in auxiliary services (i.e., housekeeping and food services). These findings provide insight into opportunities to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 risk and other emerging respiratory pathogens in HCP in El Salvador.