Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in pediatric healthcare workers prior to widespread vaccination: A 5-month longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives: Determine SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody incidence over time in unvaccinated pediatric healthcare workers (pHCWs).
Design: A prospective longitudinal cohort of unvaccinated pHCWs measuring the incidence of new infection after initial prevalence was established at 4.1% with seropositive predominance in emergency department (ED)-based pHCWs. Serum samples were collected at follow-up visits to detect new SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Univariate analysis was performed to estimate different incidence rates between participant demographics, job, employment location, and community risk factors. Anxiety levels about COVID-19 were collected. SARS-CoV-2 antibody decay postinfection and neutralization antibodies were evaluated. Log-linear Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence.
Results: Of 642 initially enrolled, 390 pHCWs presented for at least one follow-up serology test after baseline analysis. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was 8.2%. The seropositive cohort, like the negative one, consisted mainly of females in non-ED settings and nonphysician roles. There were no statistically significant differences in incidence across variables. Seropositive participants dropped antibody titers by 50% at 3 months. Neutralization antibodies correlated to SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies (r = 0.43, P < 0.0001).
Conclusion: The incidence of seropositivity was 8.2%. Although seropositivity was higher among ED staff during the early stages of the pandemic, this difference declined over time, likely due to the universal adoption of personal protective equipment.
Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest We declare no conflicts of interest. Claudia R. Morris, MD, is the inventor or co-inventor of several UCSF-Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland patents that include nutritional supplements, and is an inventor of Emory University School of Medicine patents/patent applications for nutritional supplements for autism, coronaviruses and pain, is a consultant for Roche and CSL Behring, is on the Scientific Advisory Board of TRILITY, is an editor the Sickle Cell Disease-Fever and Sickle Cell Disease-Pain reference for UpToDate, and is the Founder and Executive Director for Food as Medicine Therapeutics, LLC. Miriam B. Vos, MD, MSPH serves (or had in the past 12 months) as a consultant to Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Intercept, Takeda, and Alberio. She has stock or stock options in Thiogenesis and Tern Pharmaceuticals. Her institution has received research grants (or in-kind research services) from Target Real World Evidence, Quest, Labcorp, and Sonic Incytes Medical Corp.
(Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)