tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Infect Dis
. 2021 Mar 30;ciab273.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab273. Online ahead of print.
Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among Health Care Workers-Zambia, July 2020
Sombo Fwoloshi[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Jonas Z Hines[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Danielle T Barradas[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Samuel Yingst[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Mpanji Siwingwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Lameck Chirwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], James E Zulu[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Dabwitso Banda[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Adam Wolkon[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kotey I Nikoi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bob Chirwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Davies Kampamba[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Aaron Shibemba[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Suilanji Sivile[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Khozya D Zyambo[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Duncan Chanda[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Francis Mupeta[SUP] 2 3 4 [/SUP], Muzala Kapina[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Nyambe Sinyange[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Nathan Kapata[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Paul M Zulu[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Alex Makupe[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Aggrey Mweemba[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Nyuma Mbewe[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luunga Ziko[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Victor Mukonka[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Lloyd B Mulenga[SUP] 1 2 3 4 8 [/SUP], Kennedy Malama[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Simon Agolory[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Zambia have become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs is not known in Zambia.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 prevalence survey among Zambian HCWs in twenty health facilities in six districts in July 2020. Participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for health facility clustering, were calculated for each test separately and a combined measure for those who had PCR and ELISA performed.
Results: In total, 660 HCWs participated in the study, with 450 (68.2%) providing nasopharyngeal swab for PCR and 575 (87.1%) providing a blood specimen for ELISA. Sixty-six percent of participants were females and the median age was 31.5 years (interquartile range 26.2-39.8 years). The overall prevalence of the combined measure was 9.3% (95% CI 3.8%-14.7%). PCR-positive prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 6.6% (95% CI 2.0%-11.1%) and ELISA-positive prevalence was 2.2% (95% CI 0.5%-3.9%).
Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs was similar to a population-based estimate (10.6%) during a period of community transmission in Zambia. Public health measures such as establishing COVID-19 treatment centers before the first cases, screening for COVID-19 symptoms among patients accessing health facilities, infection prevention and control trainings, and targeted distribution of personal protective equipment based on exposure risk might have prevented increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission among Zambian HCWs.
Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; Health personnel; SARS-CoV-2; Zambia; prevalence.
. 2021 Mar 30;ciab273.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab273. Online ahead of print.
Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among Health Care Workers-Zambia, July 2020
Sombo Fwoloshi[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Jonas Z Hines[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Danielle T Barradas[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Samuel Yingst[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Mpanji Siwingwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Lameck Chirwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], James E Zulu[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Dabwitso Banda[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Adam Wolkon[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kotey I Nikoi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bob Chirwa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Davies Kampamba[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Aaron Shibemba[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Suilanji Sivile[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Khozya D Zyambo[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Duncan Chanda[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Francis Mupeta[SUP] 2 3 4 [/SUP], Muzala Kapina[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Nyambe Sinyange[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Nathan Kapata[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Paul M Zulu[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Alex Makupe[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Aggrey Mweemba[SUP] 1 2 3 4 [/SUP], Nyuma Mbewe[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luunga Ziko[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Victor Mukonka[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Lloyd B Mulenga[SUP] 1 2 3 4 8 [/SUP], Kennedy Malama[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Simon Agolory[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33784382
- DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab273
Abstract
Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Zambia have become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs is not known in Zambia.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 prevalence survey among Zambian HCWs in twenty health facilities in six districts in July 2020. Participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for health facility clustering, were calculated for each test separately and a combined measure for those who had PCR and ELISA performed.
Results: In total, 660 HCWs participated in the study, with 450 (68.2%) providing nasopharyngeal swab for PCR and 575 (87.1%) providing a blood specimen for ELISA. Sixty-six percent of participants were females and the median age was 31.5 years (interquartile range 26.2-39.8 years). The overall prevalence of the combined measure was 9.3% (95% CI 3.8%-14.7%). PCR-positive prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 6.6% (95% CI 2.0%-11.1%) and ELISA-positive prevalence was 2.2% (95% CI 0.5%-3.9%).
Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs was similar to a population-based estimate (10.6%) during a period of community transmission in Zambia. Public health measures such as establishing COVID-19 treatment centers before the first cases, screening for COVID-19 symptoms among patients accessing health facilities, infection prevention and control trainings, and targeted distribution of personal protective equipment based on exposure risk might have prevented increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission among Zambian HCWs.
Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; Health personnel; SARS-CoV-2; Zambia; prevalence.