Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among the Healthcare Workers of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Northeast India during First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Hospital-based Cross-sectional Study
Published: March 1, 2022 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2022/51664.16066
Mithu Medhi, Reema Nath, Ezaz Hussain
1. Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.
2. Professor, Department of Microbiology, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.
3. Statistician, Department of Microbiology, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Mithu Medhi,
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.
E-mail: drmithum@gmail.com
Introduction: During Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Healthcare Workers (HCWs) are the frontline personals who are engaged in different facilities of the health system. So they always remain at a greater risk of exposure and acquiring the disease. They may also become a potential source of infection to the other patients as well to the community.
Aim: To estimate the seroprevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies among asymptomatic, COVID-19 negative HCWs of a tertiary care hospital.
Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology in a tertiary care hospital of Northeast India. A total of 215 HCWs were recruited from 15th October to 14th December 2020 after taking written and informed consent. Inclusion criteria were: a) >18 years of age and both genders, b) asymptomatic, negative for COVID-19 either by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), c) working in the hospital for atleast last four months. Predesigned questionnaire was used for data collection. Serum samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies by Enzyme Linked Fluorescence Assay (ELFA) using VIDAS (VITEK ImmunoDiagnostic Assay System) platform. Chi-square test was used (Epi Info version 7 software) for data analysis.
Results: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG was 54 (25.12%) out of 215, which was highest in ≤30 years age group, 27 (32.14%) out of 84 (p=0.0261). Significant seropositivity was found among cleaners 22 (61.11%) out of 36 (p<0.01) and participants who reported having COVID-19-related symptoms in the previous months (p<0.013). However gender, daily patient contact, close contact with COVID-19 cases and working in COVID-19 units showed no significance.
Conclusion: The study highlighted a high burden of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCWs. A proper surveillance system is needed for estimating the burden of COVID-19 among HCWs as well as in the community for better understanding of the dynamics of the infection.
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