tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Clin Virol. 2020 May 13:104437. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104437. [Epub ahead of print]
SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody detection in healthcare workers in Germany with direct contact to COVID-19 patients.
Korth J[SUP]1[/SUP], Wilde B[SUP]1[/SUP], Dolff S[SUP]2[/SUP], Anastasiou OE[SUP]3[/SUP], Krawczyk A[SUP]2[/SUP], Jahn M[SUP]1[/SUP], Cordes S[SUP]4[/SUP], Ross B[SUP]5[/SUP], Esser S[SUP]6[/SUP], Lindemann M[SUP]7[/SUP], Kribben A[SUP]1[/SUP], Dittmer U[SUP]3[/SUP], Witzke O[SUP]2[/SUP], Herrmann A[SUP]3[/SUP].
Author information
Abstract
Background:
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a severe respiratory manifestation, COVID-19, and presents a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers are a vulnerable cohort for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to frequent and close contact to patients with COVID-19.
Study design:
Serum samples from 316 healthcare workers of the University Hospital Essen, Germany were tested for SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. Healthcare workers were grouped depending on the frequency of contact to COVID-19 patients in high-risk-group (n = 244) with daily contact to known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, intermediated-risk-group (n = 37) with daily contact to patients without known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection at admission and low-risk-group (n = 35) without patient contact.
Results:
In 5 of 316 (1.6%) healthcare workers SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies could be detected. The seroprevalence was higher in the intermediate-risk-group vs. high-risk-group vs. 2/37 (5.4%) vs. (3/244 (1.2%), p = 0.13). Four of the five subject were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 via PCR. One (20%) subject was not tested via PCR since he was asymptomatic.
Conclusion:
The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers of a tertiary hospital in Germany is low (1.6%). The data indicate that the local hygiene standard might be effective.
? 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; ELISA, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay; FFP, filtering face piece; IgG, Immunoglobulin G; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; S, spike protein subunit 1; S/co, signal-to-cut-off ratio; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2; SD, standard deviation; antibody detection; healthcare workers; n, number; seroprevalence; vs., versus
PMID:32405256PMCID:PMC7219425DOI:10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104437
SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody detection in healthcare workers in Germany with direct contact to COVID-19 patients.
Korth J[SUP]1[/SUP], Wilde B[SUP]1[/SUP], Dolff S[SUP]2[/SUP], Anastasiou OE[SUP]3[/SUP], Krawczyk A[SUP]2[/SUP], Jahn M[SUP]1[/SUP], Cordes S[SUP]4[/SUP], Ross B[SUP]5[/SUP], Esser S[SUP]6[/SUP], Lindemann M[SUP]7[/SUP], Kribben A[SUP]1[/SUP], Dittmer U[SUP]3[/SUP], Witzke O[SUP]2[/SUP], Herrmann A[SUP]3[/SUP].
Author information
Abstract
Background:
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a severe respiratory manifestation, COVID-19, and presents a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers are a vulnerable cohort for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to frequent and close contact to patients with COVID-19.
Study design:
Serum samples from 316 healthcare workers of the University Hospital Essen, Germany were tested for SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. Healthcare workers were grouped depending on the frequency of contact to COVID-19 patients in high-risk-group (n = 244) with daily contact to known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, intermediated-risk-group (n = 37) with daily contact to patients without known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection at admission and low-risk-group (n = 35) without patient contact.
Results:
In 5 of 316 (1.6%) healthcare workers SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies could be detected. The seroprevalence was higher in the intermediate-risk-group vs. high-risk-group vs. 2/37 (5.4%) vs. (3/244 (1.2%), p = 0.13). Four of the five subject were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 via PCR. One (20%) subject was not tested via PCR since he was asymptomatic.
Conclusion:
The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers of a tertiary hospital in Germany is low (1.6%). The data indicate that the local hygiene standard might be effective.
? 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; ELISA, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay; FFP, filtering face piece; IgG, Immunoglobulin G; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; S, spike protein subunit 1; S/co, signal-to-cut-off ratio; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2; SD, standard deviation; antibody detection; healthcare workers; n, number; seroprevalence; vs., versus
PMID:32405256PMCID:PMC7219425DOI:10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104437