Dataset Information

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and risk factors in health care workers at an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts.

ABSTRACT: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel virus that causes Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). We aim to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG among healthcare workers and compare risk-factors between seropositive and seronegative HCWs. In this observational study, serum samples were collected from HCWs between July 13th to 26th, 2020 at Boston Medical Center (BMC). Samples were subsequently tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay. Participants also answered a questionnaire capturing data on demographics, history of COVID-19 symptoms, occupation, infection prevention and control measures. Overall, 95 of 1743 (5.5%) participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Of these, 1.8% of the participants had mild or no COVID-19 symptoms and did not require a diagnostic test. Seropositivity was not associated with gender, occupation, hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) practices amongst HCWs. However, lack of physical distancing among health care workers in work areas and break room was associated with seropositivity (p = 0.05, p = 0.003, respectively). The majority of the HCWs are negative for SARS-CoV-2 IgG. This data highlights the need to promote infection prevention measures, and the importance of distance amongst co-workers to help mitigate infection rates.

SUBMITTER: Kataria Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8102593 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and risk factors in health care workers at an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Kataria Yachana Y Cole Manisha M Duffy Elizabeth E de la Cena Kyle K Schechter-Perkins Elissa M EM Bouton Tara C TC Werler Martha M MM Pierre Cassandra C Ragan Elizabeth J EJ Weber Sarah E SE Jacobson Karen R KR Andry Chris C

Scientific reports 20210506 1

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel virus that causes Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). We aim to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG among healthcare workers and compare risk-factors between seropositive and seronegative HCWs. In this observational study, serum samples were collected from HCWs between July 13th to 26th, 2020 at Boston Medical Center (BMC). Samples were subsequently tested for SARS-CoV- ...[more]

PMID: 33958668

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Project description:BackgroundSince the last local case of diphtheria in 1992, there had not been any case in Singapore until an autochthonous case was reported in 2017. This fatal diphtheria case of a migrant worker raised concerns about the potential re-emergence of locally transmitted toxigenic diphtheria in Singapore. We conducted a seroprevalence study to assess the immunity levels to diphtheria among migrant workers in Singapore.MethodsResidual sera from migrant workers who hailed from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines were tested for anti-diphtheria toxoid immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. These migrant workers previously participated in a survey between 2016 and 2019 and had provided blood samples as part of the survey procedure.ResultsA total of 2176 migrant workers were included in the study. Their overall mean age was 27.1 years (standard deviation 5.0), range was 20-43 years. The proportion having at least basic protection against diphtheria (antitoxin titres ≥ 0.01 IU/ml) ranged from 77.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 72.8 - 82.3%) among migrant workers from Bangladesh to 96.7% (95% CI 92.5 - 98.6%) in those hailing from Malaysia. The proportion showing full protection (antitoxin titres ≥ 0.10 IU/ml) ranged from 10.1% (95% CI 6.5 - 15.4%) in Chinese workers to 23.0% (95% CI 17.1 - 30.3%) in Malaysian workers. There were no significant differences in the proportion with at least basic protection across birth cohorts, except for those from Bangladesh where the seroprevalence was significantly lower in younger migrant workers born after 1989.ConclusionsThe proportions having at least basic protection against diphtheria in migrant workers from five out of seven Asian countries (India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines) were higher than 85%, the threshold for diphtheria herd immunity. Seroprevalence surveys should be conducted periodically to assess the level of immunity against diphtheria and other vaccine preventable diseases in migrant worker population, so that appropriate interventions such as booster vaccination can be implemented proactively to prevent sporadic outbreaks.

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Dataset Information

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and risk factors in health care workers at an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Publications

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and risk factors in health care workers at an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts.

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