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Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibody Detection Among Health Care Workers and Hospital Staff of a University Hospital in Colombia

14 Pages Posted: 3 Feb 2022

See all articles by Nohemi Caballero

Nohemi Caballero

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

Maria A. Nieto

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

David A. Suarez-Zamora

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

Sergio Moreno

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine

Camila I. Remolina

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

Daniela Duran

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine

Daniela Vega

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

Paula A. Rodriguez-Urrego

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories

Claudia P. Gómez

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

Diana P. Rojas

Independent

Andrea Ramírez

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine

Oscar Martínez-Nieto

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories

Ana M. Baldion-Elorza

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories

Luis Jorge Hernández Florez

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine

Juliana Quintero

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health

More...

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple risk factors have been described in HCWs, including lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), workplace setting, and profession. Screening of HCWs aims to reduce the rate of transmission to patients and colleagues. This study aims to determine current and previous SARS-COV-2 infection and describe risk factors associated with seropositivity among HCWs between June and October of 2020.

Methodology: We analyzed data from the day of enrollment of a prospective cohort study, to determine point prevalence and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs of a university hospital in Colombia. We collected respiratory samples to perform RT-PCR tests and blood samples to measure SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies. We collected and analyzed data on nosocomial and community risk factors for infection.

Findings: 420 hospital staff members were included. The seroprevalence at baseline was 23·2%. Of which 10·7% had only IgM, 0·7% had IgG, and 11·7% had IgM and IgG antibodies. The prevalence of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection was 1·9%. Nurse assistants, medical doctors and students, and laboratory workers were more likely to be seropositive than professional nurses (PR 2·21 95% CI [1·10-3·52]; PR 2·18, 95% CI [1·06-3·52]; PR 2·21, 95% CI [1·02-3·63], respectively).

Interpretation: Overall SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was 1·9% and seroprevalence was 23·15%. Nurse assistants, medical doctors or students, or laboratory workers had a higher possibility of being SARS-CoV-2 seropositive.

Funding Information: This study received funding from Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá and Universidad de los Andes to conduct research activities.

Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethics Approval Statement: The study protocol was approved in June 2020 by both ethics committees, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá and Universidad de los Andes (Approval No. 1181). All participants provided written, informed consent before enrolment in the study. The study adheres to the international regulations stated in the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, Nuremberg’s Code, and Belmont inform.

Keywords: Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Serological Testing, Health Personnel, Seroepidemiologic Studies

Suggested Citation

Caballero, Nohemi and Nieto, Maria A. and Suarez-Zamora, David A. and Moreno, Sergio and Remolina, Camila I. and Duran, Daniela and Vega, Daniela and Rodriguez-Urrego, Paula A. and Gómez, Claudia P. and Rojas, Diana P. and Ramírez, Andrea and Martínez-Nieto, Oscar and Baldion-Elorza, Ana M. and Hernández Florez, Luis Jorge and Quintero, Juliana, Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibody Detection Among Health Care Workers and Hospital Staff of a University Hospital in Colombia. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4025061 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4025061

Nohemi Caballero

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

Maria A. Nieto

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

David A. Suarez-Zamora

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

Sergio Moreno

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine ( email )

Bogotá, 11001000
Colombia

Camila I. Remolina

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

Daniela Duran

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine ( email )

Daniela Vega

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

Paula A. Rodriguez-Urrego

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories ( email )

Bogotá
Colombia

Claudia P. Gómez

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia

Diana P. Rojas

Independent ( email )

Andrea Ramírez

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine ( email )

Bogotá, 11001000
Colombia

Oscar Martínez-Nieto

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories ( email )

Bogotá
Colombia

Ana M. Baldion-Elorza

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Department of Pathology and Laboratories ( email )

Bogotá
Colombia

Luis Jorge Hernández Florez

Universidad de los Andes, Colombia - School of Medicine ( email )

Bogotá, 11001000
Colombia

Juliana Quintero (Contact Author)

Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá - Division of Population Health ( email )

Bogota
Colombia