SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers at a frontline hospital in Tokyo

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-04, Vol.11 (1), p.8380-8380, Article 8380
• Main Authors: Fukuda, Hiroshi, Seyama, Kuniaki, Ito, Kanami, Ai, Tomohiko, Nojiri, Shuko, Hori, Satoshi, Wakita, Mitsuru, Saito, Kaori, Shida, Yuka, Nagura, Rie, Hasegawa, Mayu, Kanemoto, Chiaki, Tokuhara, Mayumi, Okajima, Katsunobu, Yoshikawa, Yukio, Katsuta, Narimasa, Yamamoto, Takamasa, Idei, Mayumi, Horiuchi, Yuki, Yamatani, Kotoko, Misawa, Shigeki, Naito, Toshio, Miida, Takashi, Sato, Hiroyuki, Hattori, Nobutaka, Tabe, Yoko, Takahashi, Kazuhisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/250/255; 631/326/596; 692/700/478; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - virology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health care; Health Personnel; Health policy; Hospitals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immune status; Male; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Observational studies; Occupational exposure; Public health; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Tokyo - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87688-9

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are highly exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The actual coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation, especially in regions that are less affected, has not yet been determined. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in HCWs working in a frontline hospital in Tokyo, Japan. In this cross-sectional observational study, screening was performed on consented HCWs, including medical, nursing, and other workers, as part of a mandatory health checkup. The screening test results and clinical characteristics of the participants were recorded. The antibody seroprevalence rate among the 4147 participants screened between July 6 and August 21, 2020, was 0.34% (14/4147). There was no significant difference in the seroprevalence rate between frontline HCWs with a high exposure risk and HCWs working in other settings with a low exposure risk. Of those seropositive for SARS-CoV-2, 64% (9/14) were not aware of any symptoms and had not previously been diagnosed with COVID-19. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the extent of infection and immune status in HCWs in Japan, which has a relatively low prevalence of COVID-19. Our findings aid in formulating public health policies to control virus spread in regions with low-intensity COVID-19.