TY - JOUR
T1 - Cross-sectional prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in paediatric facilities in eight countries
AU - Goldblatt, D
AU - Johnson, M
AU - Falup-Pecurariu, O
AU - Ivaskeviciene, I
AU - Spoulou, V
AU - Tamm, E
AU - Wagner, M
AU - Zar, H J
AU - Bleotu, L
AU - Ivaskevicius, R
AU - Papadatou, I
AU - Jõgi, P
AU - Lischka, J
AU - Franckling-Smith, Z
AU - Isarova, D
AU - Grandjean, L
AU - Zavadska, D
N1 - Lischka und Wagner: externe Aff.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which may be driven, in part, by nosocomial exposure. If HCW exposure is predominantly nosocomial, HCWs in paediatric facilities, where few patients are admitted with COVID-19, may lack antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and be at increased risk during the current resurgence.AIM: To compare the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 amongst HCWs in paediatric facilities in seven European countries and South Africa (N=8).METHODS: All categories of paediatric HCWs were invited to participate in the study, irrespective of previous symptoms. A single blood sample was taken and data about previous symptoms were documented. Serum was shipped to a central laboratory in London where SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G was measured.FINDINGS: In total, 4114 HCWs were recruited between 1st May and mid-July 2020. The range of seroprevalence was 0-16.93%. The highest seroprevalence was found in London (16.93%), followed by Cape Town, South Africa (10.36%). There were no positive HCWs in the Austrian, Estonian and Latvian cohorts; 2/300 [0.66%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-2.4] HCWs tested positive in Lithuania; 1/124 (0.81%, 95% CI 0.14-4.3) HCWs tested positive in Romania; and 1/76 (1.3%, 95% CI 0.23-7.0) HCWs tested positive in Greece.CONCLUSION: Overall seroprevalence amongst paediatric HCWs is similar to their national populations and linked to the national COVID-19 burden. Staff working in paediatric facilities in low-burden countries have very low seroprevalence rates and thus are likely to be susceptible to COVID-19. Their susceptibility to infection may affect their ability to provide care in the face of increasing cases of COVID-19, and this highlights the need for appropriate preventative strategies in paediatric healthcare settings.
AB - BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which may be driven, in part, by nosocomial exposure. If HCW exposure is predominantly nosocomial, HCWs in paediatric facilities, where few patients are admitted with COVID-19, may lack antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and be at increased risk during the current resurgence.AIM: To compare the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 amongst HCWs in paediatric facilities in seven European countries and South Africa (N=8).METHODS: All categories of paediatric HCWs were invited to participate in the study, irrespective of previous symptoms. A single blood sample was taken and data about previous symptoms were documented. Serum was shipped to a central laboratory in London where SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G was measured.FINDINGS: In total, 4114 HCWs were recruited between 1st May and mid-July 2020. The range of seroprevalence was 0-16.93%. The highest seroprevalence was found in London (16.93%), followed by Cape Town, South Africa (10.36%). There were no positive HCWs in the Austrian, Estonian and Latvian cohorts; 2/300 [0.66%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-2.4] HCWs tested positive in Lithuania; 1/124 (0.81%, 95% CI 0.14-4.3) HCWs tested positive in Romania; and 1/76 (1.3%, 95% CI 0.23-7.0) HCWs tested positive in Greece.CONCLUSION: Overall seroprevalence amongst paediatric HCWs is similar to their national populations and linked to the national COVID-19 burden. Staff working in paediatric facilities in low-burden countries have very low seroprevalence rates and thus are likely to be susceptible to COVID-19. Their susceptibility to infection may affect their ability to provide care in the face of increasing cases of COVID-19, and this highlights the need for appropriate preventative strategies in paediatric healthcare settings.
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Antibodies, Viral/blood
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Europe/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data
KW - Hospitals, Pediatric/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Occupational Diseases/epidemiology
KW - Prevalence
KW - Risk Assessment/statistics & numerical data
KW - Seroepidemiologic Studies
KW - South Africa/epidemiology
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019
DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.12.019
M3 - Original Article
C2 - 33422589
SN - 0195-6701
VL - 110
SP - 60
EP - 66
JO - JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
JF - JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
ER -