SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Malawian Breastfed Infants between February 2020 And  May 2021

24 Pages Posted: 7 May 2022

See all articles by Silvia Baroncelli

Silvia Baroncelli

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Clementina Maria Galluzzo

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Stefano Orlando

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Biomedicine and Prevention

Robert Mphwere

Community of Sant'Egidio

Thom Kavalo

Community of Sant'Egidio

Richard Luhanga

Community of Sant'Egidio

Roberta Amici

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Marco Floridia

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Mauro Andreotti

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Paola Scarcella

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Biomedicine and Prevention

Maria Cristina Marazzi

University LUMSA - Department of Human Sciences

Marina Giuliano

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health

Abstract

Background: Very limited information is available on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in infants in sub-Saharan countries.

Objective: In this study we aimed to determine the rate and the temporal evolution of SARS CoV-2 seropositivity in breastfed Malawian infants.

Study design: Blood samples (n=250) from 158 infants, born to HIV negative women and to women living with HIV, collected from February 2020 to May 2021, were first tested using an Anti-IgG/A/M SARS CoV 2 ELISA assay against trimeric spike protein and then, if positive, confirmed using a second ELISA assay detecting IgG against Receptor Binding Domain.

Results: The confirmed prevalence of anti-SARS CoV-2 antibodies was 31.0% (95% CI: 23.7%-38.3%) with no significant difference between HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants (29.3% and 37.1% respectively, P = 0.410). The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was not associated with maternal socioeconomic or demographic indices.

Conclusions: Our data underline the wide spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the pediatric population in sub-Saharan Africa.

Note:
Funding Information: This work was supported by a grant to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità from the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development through the Global Fund 5% Initiative (Grant n. AID 011141/03/04) and is an Italy Independent Activity in the scope of EDCTP2 recorded as Participant State Initiated Activity - PSIA 2019-2072.

Conflict of Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from the National Health Research Committee in Malawi (approval number #2085), and informed consent was obtained from all women attending the Ante-Natal Clinics.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Prevalence, infants, Malawi

Suggested Citation

Baroncelli, Silvia and Galluzzo, Clementina Maria and Orlando, Stefano and Mphwere, Robert and Kavalo, Thom and Luhanga, Richard and Amici, Roberta and Floridia, Marco and Andreotti, Mauro and Scarcella, Paola and Marazzi, Maria Cristina and Giuliano, Marina, SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Malawian Breastfed Infants between February 2020 And  May 2021. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4103025 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4103025

Silvia Baroncelli (Contact Author)

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

Clementina Maria Galluzzo

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

Stefano Orlando

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Biomedicine and Prevention ( email )

Robert Mphwere

Community of Sant'Egidio ( email )

Thom Kavalo

Community of Sant'Egidio ( email )

Richard Luhanga

Community of Sant'Egidio ( email )

Roberta Amici

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

Marco Floridia

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

Mauro Andreotti

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

Paola Scarcella

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Department of Biomedicine and Prevention ( email )

Maria Cristina Marazzi

University LUMSA - Department of Human Sciences ( email )

Marina Giuliano

Istituto Superiore di Sanità - Center for Global Health ( email )

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