SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in hospital healthcare workers in Western Switzerland at the end of the second pandemic wave.
J Med Microbiol
; 71(8)2022 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35921229
ABSTRACT
Introduction. In early January 2020, the pandemic of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) rapidly spread from China and caused a worldwide pandemic.Hypothesis. Healthcare workers represent a high-risk group for acquiring COVID-19 and for nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).Aim. We aimed to investigate over a 1 year period, across two pandemic waves, the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in employees at a Western Switzerland public hospital.Methodology. A prospective observational SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study was proposed to all hospital employees who enrolled on a voluntary basis.Results. Out of 594 participants recruited on a voluntary basis, 269 volunteers (45.3â%) had anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies this seroprevalence was twice higher than that reported in the local community. Healthcare workers with prolonged exposure to patients with COVID-19 showed a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of having a positive SARS-CoV-2 serology [OR 3.19, 95â% confidence interval (CI) 2.16-4.74]. Symptoms showing the highest association with a positive serology were anosmia (OR 11.9, 95â% CI 5.58-30.9) and ageusia (OR 10.3, 95â% CI 4.8-26.3). A total of 17.1â% (95â% CI 12.2-21.1â%) of SARS-CoV-2 seropositive volunteers did not report a suspicion of COVID-19 in their personal history.Conclusion. Overall, we observed that the impact of the second SARS-CoV-2 pandemic wave was considerable and significantly affected healthcare workers with prolonged exposure to patients with COVID-19.
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MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Pandemias
/
COVID-19
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article