tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Lancet Reg Health Am
. 2021 Jul 29;100030.
doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030. Online ahead of print.
Seropositivity of COVID-19 among asymptomatic healthcare workers: A multi-site prospective cohort study from Northern Virginia, United States
Abdulla A Damluji[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Siqi Wei[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Scott A Bruce[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Amanda Haymond[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Emanuel F Petricoin[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Lance Liotta[SUP] 5 [/SUP], G Larry Maxwell[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Brian C Moore[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rachel Bell[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stephanie Garofalo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eric R Houpt[SUP] 6 [/SUP], David Trump[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Christopher R deFilippi[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Because of their direct patient contact, healthcare workers (HCW) face an unprecedented risk of exposure to COVID-19. The aim of this study was to examine incidence of COVID-19 disease among asymptomatic HCW and community participants in Northern Virginia during 6 months of follow-up.
Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that enrolled healthy HCW and residents who never had a symptomatic COVID-19 infection prior to enrolment from the community in Northern Virginia from April to November 2020. All participants were invited to enrol in study, and they were followed at 2-, and 6-months intervals. Participants were evaluated by commercial chemiluminescence SARS-CoV-2 serology assays as part of regional health system and public health surveillance program to monitor the spread of COVID-19 disease.
Findings: Of a total of 1,819 asymptomatic HCW enrolled, 1,473 (96%) had data at two-months interval, and 1,323 (73%) participants had data at 6-months interval. At baseline, 21 (1.15%) were found to have prior COVID-19 exposure. At two-months interval, COVID-19 rate was 2.8% and at six months follow-up, the overall incidence rate increased to 4.8%, but was as high as 7.9% among those who belong to the youngest age group (20-29 years). Seroconversion rates in HCW were comparable to the seropositive rates in the Northern Virginia community. The overall incidence of COVID-19 in the community was 4.5%, but the estimate was higher among Hispanic ethnicity (incidence rate = 15.3%) potentially reflecting different socio-economic factors among the community participants and the HCW group. Using cross-sectional logistic regression and spatio-temporal mixed effects models, significant factors that influence the transmission rate among HCW include age, race/ethnicity, resident ZIP-code, and household exposure, but not direct patient contact.
Interpretation: In Northern Virginia, the seropositive rate of COVID-19 disease among HCW was comparable to that in the community.
Keywords: CIA, Chemiluminescent immunoassay; COVID-19; COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019; HCW, Healthcare worker; Immunity; PPE, Personal protective equipment; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Serologic test; ZIP, Zone Improvement Plan.
. 2021 Jul 29;100030.
doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030. Online ahead of print.
Seropositivity of COVID-19 among asymptomatic healthcare workers: A multi-site prospective cohort study from Northern Virginia, United States
Abdulla A Damluji[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Siqi Wei[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Scott A Bruce[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Amanda Haymond[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Emanuel F Petricoin[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Lance Liotta[SUP] 5 [/SUP], G Larry Maxwell[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Brian C Moore[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rachel Bell[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stephanie Garofalo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eric R Houpt[SUP] 6 [/SUP], David Trump[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Christopher R deFilippi[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34386793
- PMCID: PMC8319689
- DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030
Abstract
Background: Because of their direct patient contact, healthcare workers (HCW) face an unprecedented risk of exposure to COVID-19. The aim of this study was to examine incidence of COVID-19 disease among asymptomatic HCW and community participants in Northern Virginia during 6 months of follow-up.
Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that enrolled healthy HCW and residents who never had a symptomatic COVID-19 infection prior to enrolment from the community in Northern Virginia from April to November 2020. All participants were invited to enrol in study, and they were followed at 2-, and 6-months intervals. Participants were evaluated by commercial chemiluminescence SARS-CoV-2 serology assays as part of regional health system and public health surveillance program to monitor the spread of COVID-19 disease.
Findings: Of a total of 1,819 asymptomatic HCW enrolled, 1,473 (96%) had data at two-months interval, and 1,323 (73%) participants had data at 6-months interval. At baseline, 21 (1.15%) were found to have prior COVID-19 exposure. At two-months interval, COVID-19 rate was 2.8% and at six months follow-up, the overall incidence rate increased to 4.8%, but was as high as 7.9% among those who belong to the youngest age group (20-29 years). Seroconversion rates in HCW were comparable to the seropositive rates in the Northern Virginia community. The overall incidence of COVID-19 in the community was 4.5%, but the estimate was higher among Hispanic ethnicity (incidence rate = 15.3%) potentially reflecting different socio-economic factors among the community participants and the HCW group. Using cross-sectional logistic regression and spatio-temporal mixed effects models, significant factors that influence the transmission rate among HCW include age, race/ethnicity, resident ZIP-code, and household exposure, but not direct patient contact.
Interpretation: In Northern Virginia, the seropositive rate of COVID-19 disease among HCW was comparable to that in the community.
Keywords: CIA, Chemiluminescent immunoassay; COVID-19; COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019; HCW, Healthcare worker; Immunity; PPE, Personal protective equipment; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Serologic test; ZIP, Zone Improvement Plan.