tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Int J Environ Res Public Health
. 2021 Jun 17;18(12):6526.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126526.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection at the University of Barcelona during the Third COVID-19 Pandemic Wave in Spain
Sebastián Videla[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Aurema Otero[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sara Martí[SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], M Ángeles Domínguez[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Nuria Fabrellas[SUP] 6 [/SUP], M Pilar Delgado-Hito[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Imma Cruz[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Cristian Tebé[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Teresa Vinuesa[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Fernando Ardila[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Marta Sancho[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Esteve Fernández[SUP] 5 12 13 14 [/SUP], Montserrat Figuerola[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Francisco Ciruela[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic started in December 2019 and still is a major global health challenge. Lockdown measures and social distancing sparked a global shift towards online learning, which deeply impacted universities' daily life, and the University of Barcelona (UB) was not an exception. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the UB. To that end, we performed a cross-sectional study on a sample of 2784 UB members (n = 52,529). Participants answered a brief, ad hoc, online epidemiological questionnaire and provided a nasal swab for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 analysis and a venous blood sample for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assay. Total prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (positive RT-PCR or positive IgG) was 14.9% (95%CI 13.3 to 17.0%). Forty-four participants (1.6%, 95%CI: 1.2-2.1%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. IgG against SARS-CoV-2 was observed in 12.8% (95%CI: 11.6-14.1%) of participants. Overall, while waiting for population vaccination and/or increased herd immunity, we should concentrate on identifying and isolating new cases and their contacts.
Keywords: COVID-19 prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Spain; administrative and service staff; coronavirus; faculty members; infection status; seroprevalence; students; university community.
. 2021 Jun 17;18(12):6526.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126526.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection at the University of Barcelona during the Third COVID-19 Pandemic Wave in Spain
Sebastián Videla[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Aurema Otero[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sara Martí[SUP] 3 4 5 [/SUP], M Ángeles Domínguez[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], Nuria Fabrellas[SUP] 6 [/SUP], M Pilar Delgado-Hito[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Imma Cruz[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Cristian Tebé[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Teresa Vinuesa[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Fernando Ardila[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Marta Sancho[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Esteve Fernández[SUP] 5 12 13 14 [/SUP], Montserrat Figuerola[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Francisco Ciruela[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34204383
- DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126526
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic started in December 2019 and still is a major global health challenge. Lockdown measures and social distancing sparked a global shift towards online learning, which deeply impacted universities' daily life, and the University of Barcelona (UB) was not an exception. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the UB. To that end, we performed a cross-sectional study on a sample of 2784 UB members (n = 52,529). Participants answered a brief, ad hoc, online epidemiological questionnaire and provided a nasal swab for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 analysis and a venous blood sample for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assay. Total prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (positive RT-PCR or positive IgG) was 14.9% (95%CI 13.3 to 17.0%). Forty-four participants (1.6%, 95%CI: 1.2-2.1%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. IgG against SARS-CoV-2 was observed in 12.8% (95%CI: 11.6-14.1%) of participants. Overall, while waiting for population vaccination and/or increased herd immunity, we should concentrate on identifying and isolating new cases and their contacts.
Keywords: COVID-19 prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Spain; administrative and service staff; coronavirus; faculty members; infection status; seroprevalence; students; university community.