SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in workers from a Colombian University Hospital

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Antibody (Ab) testing for SARS-CoV-2 estimates infection incidence, exposure levels, and immunity duration.
• Hospital settings may pose a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for healthcare workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare personnel at a Colombian university hospital.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study included 1021 hospital workers tested between March 2020 and March 2021.
• IgG antibody testing was performed in April 2021, with a subset re-tested two weeks later.
• Data analyzed based on positive/negative antibody status and time since RT-PCR/antigen testing.

Main Results:

• Overall seroprevalence of IgG antibodies was 35%, consistent across medical (35%) and non-medical (33%) staff.
• Among those with a prior positive test, seroprevalence was 90% (<3 months), 82% (3-6 months), and 48% (>6 months).
• For those with a prior negative test, seroprevalence was 17% (<3 months), 21% (3-6 months), and 29% (>6 months).

Conclusions:

• Hospital personnel exhibited high IgG antibody positivity, irrespective of their roles.
• The prevalence of detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was influenced by previous infection status and the time elapsed since diagnostic testing.