Short communication
SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody detection in healthcare workers in Germany with direct contact to COVID-19 patients

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104437Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The average SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers of a a tertiary hospital, University Hospital Essen, Germany was 1.6 % in the period between March to April 2020.

  • The local hygiene standards seem to be effective to prevent patient-to-staff virus transmission at the designated COVID-19 units wards.

  • Awareness for COVID-19 infections is crucial even in non−COVID-19 wards.

Abstract

Background

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a severe respiratory manifestation, COVID-19, and presents a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare workers are a vulnerable cohort for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to frequent and close contact to patients with COVID-19.

Study design

Serum samples from 316 healthcare workers of the University Hospital Essen, Germany were tested for SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. Healthcare workers were grouped depending on the frequency of contact to COVID-19 patients in high-risk-group (n = 244) with daily contact to known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, intermediated-risk-group (n = 37) with daily contact to patients without known or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection at admission and low-risk-group (n = 35) without patient contact.

Results

In 5 of 316 (1.6 %) healthcare workers SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies could be detected. The seroprevalence was higher in the intermediate-risk-group vs. high-risk-group (2/37 (5.4 %) vs. 3/244 (1.2 %), p = 0.13). Four of the five subject were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 via PCR. One (20 %) subject was not tested via PCR since he was asymptomatic.

Conclusion

The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers of a tertiary hospital in Germany is low (1.6 %). The data indicate that the local hygiene standard might be effective.

Abbreviation

SARS-CoV-2
severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2
COVID-19
coronavirus disease 2019
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
FFP
filtering face piece
ELISA
Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay
IgG
Immunoglobulin G
S
spike protein subunit 1
vs.
versus
n
number
SD
standard deviation
S/co
signal-to-cut-off ratio

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2
Healthcare workers
COVID-19
Seroprevalence
Antibody detection

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