TY - JOUR
T1 - Sero-Prevalence and Sero-Incidence of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Health Care Workers in Israel, Prior to Mass COVID-19 Vaccination
AU - Muhsen, Khitam
AU - Schwaber, Mitchell J.
AU - Bishara, Jihad
AU - Kassem, Eias
AU - Atamna, Alaa
AU - Na'amnih, Wasef
AU - Goren, Sophy
AU - Bialik, Anya
AU - Mohsen, Jameel
AU - Zaide, Yona
AU - Hazan, Nimrod
AU - Ariel-Cohen, Ortal
AU - Cohen, Regev
AU - Shitrit, Pnina
AU - Marchaim, Dror
AU - Benenson, Shmuel
AU - Ben-David, Debby
AU - Rubinovitch, Bina
AU - Gotessman, Tamar
AU - Nutman, Amir
AU - Wiener-Well, Yonit
AU - Maor, Yasmin
AU - Carmeli, Yehuda
AU - Cohen, Dani
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Muhsen, Schwaber, Bishara, Kassem, Atamna, Na'amnih, Goren, Bialik, Mohsen, Zaide, Hazan, Ariel-Cohen, Cohen, Shitrit, Marchaim, Benenson, Ben-David, Rubinovitch, Gotessman, Nutman, Wiener-Well, Maor, Carmeli and Cohen.
PY - 2021/6/24
Y1 - 2021/6/24
N2 - Objectives: This study aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sero-positivity in health care workers (HCWs), a main risk group, and assess the sero-incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection between the first and second waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Israel. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted among 874 HCWs from nine hospitals. Demographics, health information, and blood samples were obtained at baseline (first wave—April–May 2020) and at follow-up (n = 373) (second wave—September–November 2020). Sero-positivity was determined based on the detection of total antibodies to the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2, using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2, Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland). Results: The sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 1.1% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.6–2.1] at baseline and 8.3% (95% CI 5.9–11.6) at follow-up. The sero-conversion of SARS-CoV-2 serum antibody was 6.9% (95% CI 4.7–9.9) during the study period. The increase in SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence paralleled the rise in PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among the HCWs across the country. The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was higher in males vs. females [odds ratio (OR) 2.52 (95% CI 1.05–6.06)] and in nurses vs. physicians [OR 4.26 (95% CI 1.08–16.77)] and was associated with being quarantined due to exposure to COVID-19 patients [OR 3.54 (95% CI 1.58–7.89)] and having a positive PCR result [OR 109.5 (95% CI 23.88–502.12)]. Conclusions: A significant increase in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was found among HCWs between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Israel. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remains low, similar to the general population. Our findings reinforce the rigorous infection control policy, including quarantine, and utilization of personal protective equipment that should be continued together with COVID-19 immunization in HCWs and the general population.
AB - Objectives: This study aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sero-positivity in health care workers (HCWs), a main risk group, and assess the sero-incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection between the first and second waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Israel. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted among 874 HCWs from nine hospitals. Demographics, health information, and blood samples were obtained at baseline (first wave—April–May 2020) and at follow-up (n = 373) (second wave—September–November 2020). Sero-positivity was determined based on the detection of total antibodies to the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2, using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2, Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland). Results: The sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 1.1% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.6–2.1] at baseline and 8.3% (95% CI 5.9–11.6) at follow-up. The sero-conversion of SARS-CoV-2 serum antibody was 6.9% (95% CI 4.7–9.9) during the study period. The increase in SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence paralleled the rise in PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among the HCWs across the country. The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was higher in males vs. females [odds ratio (OR) 2.52 (95% CI 1.05–6.06)] and in nurses vs. physicians [OR 4.26 (95% CI 1.08–16.77)] and was associated with being quarantined due to exposure to COVID-19 patients [OR 3.54 (95% CI 1.58–7.89)] and having a positive PCR result [OR 109.5 (95% CI 23.88–502.12)]. Conclusions: A significant increase in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was found among HCWs between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Israel. Nonetheless, the sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remains low, similar to the general population. Our findings reinforce the rigorous infection control policy, including quarantine, and utilization of personal protective equipment that should be continued together with COVID-19 immunization in HCWs and the general population.
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - health care workers
KW - longitudinal study
KW - nucleocapsid antigen
KW - occupational risk
KW - risk factors
KW - sero-epidemiology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109632102&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fmed.2021.689994
DO - 10.3389/fmed.2021.689994
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C2 - 34249979
AN - SCOPUS:85109632102
SN - 2296-858X
VL - 8
JO - Frontiers in Medicine
JF - Frontiers in Medicine
M1 - 689994
ER -