1. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and asymptomatic viral carriage in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study.
- Author
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Shields, Adrian, Faustini, Sian E., Perez-Toledo, Marisol, Jossi, Sian, Aldera, Erin, Allen, Joel D., Al-Taei, Saly, Backhouse, Claire, Bosworth, Andrew, Dunbar, Lyndsey A., Ebanks, Daniel, Emmanuel, Beena, Garvey, Mark, Gray, Joanna, Kidd, I. Michael, McGinnell, Golaleh, McLoughlin, Dee E., Morley, Gabriella, O'Neill, Joanna, and Papakonstantinou, Danai
- Subjects
SARS-CoV-2 ,SEROPREVALENCE ,INFECTION control ,CROSS-sectional method ,COVID-19 ,RESEARCH funding - Abstract
Objective: To determine the rates of asymptomatic viral carriage and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers.Design: A cross-sectional study of asymptomatic healthcare workers undertaken on 24/25 April 2020.Setting: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT), UK.Participants: 545 asymptomatic healthcare workers were recruited while at work. Participants were invited to participate via the UHBFT social media. Exclusion criteria included current symptoms consistent with COVID-19. No potential participants were excluded.Intervention: Participants volunteered a nasopharyngeal swab and a venous blood sample that were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein antibodies, respectively. Results were interpreted in the context of prior illnesses and the hospital departments in which participants worked.Main Outcome Measure: Proportion of participants demonstrating infection and positive SARS-CoV-2 serology.Results: The point prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 viral carriage was 2.4% (n=13/545). The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 24.4% (n=126/516). Participants who reported prior symptomatic illness had higher seroprevalence (37.5% vs 17.1%, χ2=21.1034, p<0.0001) and quantitatively greater antibody responses than those who had remained asymptomatic. Seroprevalence was greatest among those working in housekeeping (34.5%), acute medicine (33.3%) and general internal medicine (30.3%), with lower rates observed in participants working in intensive care (14.8%). BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) ethnicity was associated with a significantly increased risk of seropositivity (OR: 1.92, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.23, p=0.01). Working on the intensive care unit was associated with a significantly lower risk of seropositivity compared with working in other areas of the hospital (OR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.78, p=0.02).Conclusions and Relevance: We identify differences in the occupational risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 between hospital departments and confirm asymptomatic seroconversion occurs in healthcare workers. Further investigation of these observations is required to inform future infection control and occupational health practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2020
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