TY - JOUR
T1 - Seropositivity of COVID-19 among asymptomatic healthcare workers
T2 - A multi-site prospective cohort study from Northern Virginia, United States
AU - Damluji, Abdulla A.
AU - Wei, Siqi
AU - Bruce, Scott A.
AU - Haymond, Amanda
AU - Petricoin, Emanuel F.
AU - Liotta, Lance
AU - Maxwell, G. Larry
AU - Moore, Brian C.
AU - Bell, Rachel
AU - Garofalo, Stephanie
AU - Houpt, Eric R.
AU - Trump, David
AU - deFilippi, Christopher R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Immunity
KW - Serologic test
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124987276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030
DO - 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85124987276
SN - 2667-193X
VL - 2
JO - The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
JF - The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
M1 - 100030
ER -