SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Screening in Healthcare Workers in Non-Infectious Hospitals in Two Different Regions of Southern Poland (Upper Silesia and Opole Voivodeships): A Prospective Cohort Study

Rafał Jakub Bułdak, Elżbieta Woźniak-Grygiel, Marta Wąsik, Janusz Kasperczyk, Ewa Gawrylak-Dryja, Renata Mond-Paszek, Adam Konka, Karina Badura-Brzoza, Martyna Fronczek, Marlena Golec, Mateusz Lejawa, Marcin Markiel, Sławomir Kasperczyk and Zenon Brzoza
Additional contact information
Rafał Jakub Bułdak: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Elżbieta Woźniak-Grygiel: Department of Histology, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Marta Wąsik: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Janusz Kasperczyk: Department of Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 18, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland
Ewa Gawrylak-Dryja: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Renata Mond-Paszek: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Adam Konka: Silesian Park of Medical Technology Kardio-Med Silesia, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10C, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Karina Badura-Brzoza: Department of Psychiatry in Tarnowskie Góry, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 42-612 Tarnowskie Góry, Poland
Martyna Fronczek: Silesian Park of Medical Technology Kardio-Med Silesia, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10C, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Marlena Golec: Silesian Park of Medical Technology Kardio-Med Silesia, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10C, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Mateusz Lejawa: Silesian Park of Medical Technology Kardio-Med Silesia, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10C, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Marcin Markiel: Intensive Care Unit, Regional Specialised Hospital No. 4 in Bytom, al. Legionów 10, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Sławomir Kasperczyk: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
Zenon Brzoza: Department of Internal Diseases, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Opole, Al. W. Witosa 26, 40-451 Opole, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: (1) Background: Detection of asymptomatic or subclinical human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial for understanding the overall prevalence of the new coronavirus and its infection potential in public (non-infectious) healthcare units with emergency wards. (2) Methods: We evaluated the host serologic responses, measured with semi-quantitative ELISA tests (IgA, IgG, IgM abs) in sera of 90 individuals in Hospital no. 4 in Bytom, 84 HCWs in the University Hospital in Opole and 25 in a Miasteczko ?l?skie local surgery. All volunteers had negative RT-PCR test results or had not had the RT-PCR test performed within 30 days before sampling. The ELISA test was made at two different time points (July/August 2020) with a 2-weeks gap between blood collections to avoid the “serological window” period. (3) Results: The IgG seropositivity of asymptomatic HCWs varied between 1.2% to 10% (Opole vs. Bytom, p < 0.05; all without any symptoms). IgA seropositivity in HCWs was 8.8% in Opole and 7.14% in Bytom. IgM positive levels in HCWs in Opole and Bytom was 1.11% vs. 2.38%, respectively. Individuals with IgA and IgM seropositivity results were observed only in Opole (1.19%). More studies are needed to determine whether these results are generalizable to other populations and geographic as well as socio-demographic locations. (4) Conclusions: 100% of IgG(+) volunteers were free from any symptoms of infection in the 30 days before first or second blood collection and they had no awareness of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Asymptomatic HCWs could spread SARS-CoV-2 infection to other employees and patients. Only regular HCWs RT-PCR testing can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 spreading in a hospital environment. The benefit of combining the detection of specific IgA with that of combined specific IgM/IgG is still uncertain.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; RT-PCR; asymptomatic; health-care professionals; serological surveillance; antibody screening; immunoglobulins (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4376/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4376/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:4376-:d:539843

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().