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Seroprevalence of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among the Personnel and Students of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece: A Preliminary Report

Authors :
Ourania E. Tsitsilonis
Dimitrios Paraskevis
Evi Lianidou
Vassilios Pierros
Athanasios Akalestos
Efstathios Kastritis
Paraskevi Moutsatsou
Andreas Scorilas
Thomas Sphicopoulos
Evangelos Terpos
Nikolaos Thomaidis
Athanassios Tsakris
Nikolaos Voulgaris
Christina C. Daskalaki
Zoi Evangelakou
Christina Fouki
Despoina D. Gianniou
Sentiljana Gumeni
Evangelia-Georgia Kostaki
Ioannis V. Kostopoulos
Maria S. Manola
Nikolaos Orologas-Stavrou
Chrysanthi Panteli
Eleni-Dimitra Papanagnou
Pantelis Rousakis
Aimilia D. Sklirou
Stavroula Smilkou
Dimitra Stergiopoulou
Ioannis P. Trougakos
Soritios Tsiodras
Petros P. Sfikakis
Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos
Source :
Life, Vol 10, Iss 9, p 214 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2020.

Abstract

Due to early implementation of public health measures, Greece had low number of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 severe incidents in hospitalized patients. The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (ΝΚUA), especially its health-care/medical personnel, has been actively involved in the first line of state responses to COVID-19. To estimate the prevalence of antibodies (Igs) against SARS-CoV-2 among NKUA members, we designed a five consecutive monthly serosurvey among randomly selected NKUA consenting volunteers. Here, we present the results from the first 2500 plasma samples collected during June–July 2020. Twenty-five donors were tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 Igs; thus, the overall seroprevalence was 1.00%. The weighted overall seroprevalence was 0.93% (95% CI: 0.27, 2.09) and varied between males [1.05% (95% CI: 0.18, 2.92)] and females [0.84% (95% CI: 0.13, 2.49)], age-groups and different categories (higher in participants from the School of Health Sciences and in scientific affiliates/faculty members/laboratory assistants), but no statistical differences were detected. Although focused on the specific population of NKUA members, our study shows that the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Igs for the period June–July 2020 remained low and provides knowledge of public health importance for the NKUA members. Given that approximately one in three infections was asymptomatic, continuous monitoring of the progression of the pandemic by assessing Ig seroprevalence is needed.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20751729
Volume :
10
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Life
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.f5c7e94b78a74e6dbe7db744bf0df813
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/life10090214