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Aglipay M, Kwong JC, Colwill K, Gringas AC, Tuite A, Mamdani M, Keown-Stoneman C, Birken C, Maguire J. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among children receiving primary care in Toronto, Ontario. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2024:10.17269/s41997-024-00916-3. [PMID: 39168962 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-024-00916-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Characterizing the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in children is needed to optimize the COVID-19 public health response. We quantified the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection-acquired antibodies and vaccine-acquired antibodies among children receiving primary care in Toronto, Canada. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal cohort study between January 2021 and November 2022 in healthy children aged 0-16 years receiving primary care in Toronto. The primary and secondary outcomes were seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 infection-acquired antibodies and vaccine-acquired antibodies ascertained from finger-prick dried blood spots. Samples were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to full-length spike trimer and nucleocapsid. We explored sociodemographic differences with Firth's penalized generalized estimating equations. RESULTS Of the 475 participants, 50.1% were girls and mean age was 6.4 years (SD = 3.2). We identified 103 children seropositive for infection-acquired antibodies, with a crude seroprevalence that rose from 2.6% (95%CI 1.39-4.92) from January to July 2021 to 50.7% (95%CI 39.5-61.8) by July to November 2022. Seroprevalence of vaccine-acquired antibodies was 45.2% by July to November 2022 (95%CI 34.3-56.58). No differences in sociodemographic factors (age, sex, income, or ethnicity) were identified for infection-acquired antibodies; however, children with vaccine-acquired antibodies were more likely to be older, have mothers with university education, and have mothers who had also been vaccinated. CONCLUSION Our results provide a benchmark for seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in children in Toronto. Ongoing monitoring of the serological status of children is important, particularly with the emergence of new variants of concern, low vaccine coverage, and discontinuation of PCR testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Aglipay
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Kwong
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen Colwill
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ashleigh Tuite
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Muhammad Mamdani
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles Keown-Stoneman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Catherine Birken
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Pediatric Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathon Maguire
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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2
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Leong DP, Loeb M, Mony PK, Rangarajan S, Mushtaha M, Miller MS, Dias M, Yegorov S, V M, Telci Caklili O, Temizhan A, Szuba A, Abat MEM, Mat-Nasir N, Diaz ML, Khansaheb H, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Duong M, Teo KK, Poirier P, Oliveira G, Avezum Á, Yusuf S. Risk factors for recognized and unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infection: a seroepidemiologic analysis of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0149223. [PMID: 38214526 PMCID: PMC10845948 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01492-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
There are limited data on individual risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection (including unrecognized infection). In this seroepidemiologic substudy of an ongoing prospective cohort study of community-dwelling adults, participants were thoroughly characterized pre-pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 infection was ascertained by serology. Among 8,719 participants from 11 high-, middle-, and low-income countries, 3,009 (35%) were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2. Characteristics independently associated with seropositivity were younger age (odds ratio, OR; 95% confidence interval, CI, per five-year increase: 0.95; 0.91-0.98) and body mass index >25 kg/m2 (OR, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.01-1.34). Smoking (as compared with never smoking, OR, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.70-0.97) and COVID-19 vaccination (OR, 95% CI: 0.70, 0.60-0.82) were associated with a reduced risk of seropositivity. Among seropositive participants, 83% were unaware of having been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Seropositivity and a lack of awareness of infection were more common in lower-income countries. The COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (including recognized and unrecognized infections). Overweight or obesity is an independent risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infection and lack of infection awareness are more common in lower-income countries.IMPORTANCEIn this large, international study, evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was obtained by testing blood specimens from 8,719 community-dwelling adults from 11 countries. The key findings are that (i) the large majority (83%) of community-dwelling adults from several high-, middle-, and low-income countries with blood test evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection were unaware of this infection-especially in lower-income countries; and (ii) overweight/obesity predisposes to SARS-CoV-2 infection, while COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These observations are not attributable to other individual characteristics, highlighting the importance of the COVID-19 vaccination to prevent not only severe infection but possibly any infection. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which overweight/obesity might increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryl P. Leong
- The Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Mark Loeb
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Prem K. Mony
- Division of Epidemiology and Population Health, St. John’s Research Institute, St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, India
| | - Sumathy Rangarajan
- The Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Maha Mushtaha
- The Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Matthew S. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Mary Dias
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, India
| | - Sergey Yegorov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Mamatha V
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, India
| | - Ozge Telci Caklili
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Temizhan
- Cardiology Department, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Andrzej Szuba
- Department of Angiology, Hypertension and Diabetology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marc Evans M. Abat
- Department of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines
| | - Nafiza Mat-Nasir
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Maria Luz Diaz
- Estudios Clinicos Latinamérica (ECLA), Instituto Cardiovascular de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | | | - MyLinh Duong
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Koon K. Teo
- The Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Paul Poirier
- Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Salim Yusuf
- The Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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3
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Chen YY, Yang MH, Lai JZ, Chen JW, Wang YL, Wei ST, Hou SM, Chen CJ, Wu HS. Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Remained Extremely Low in Taiwan Until the Vaccination Program Was Implemented. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofad614. [PMID: 38192381 PMCID: PMC10773475 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Taiwanese government made a concerted effort to contain a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nosocomial outbreak of variant B.1.429, shortly before universal vaccination program implementation. This study aimed to investigate seroprevalence in the highest-risk regions. Methods Between January and February 2021, we retrieved 10 000 repository serum samples from blood donors to examine for antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) antigens. A positive result was confirmed if anti-N and anti-S antibodies were positive. Overall, 2000 donors residing in the highest-risk district and donating blood in January 2021 were further examined for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We estimated seroprevalence and compared the epidemic curve between confirmed COVID-19 cases and blood donors with positive antibodies or viral RNA. Results Twenty-one cases with COVID-19 were confirmed in the nosocomial cluster, with an incidence of 1.27/100 000 in the COVID-affected districts. Among 4888 close contacts of the nosocomial cases, 20 (0.4%) became confirmed cases during isolation. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 2 of the 10000 blood donors, showing a seroprevalence of 2/10000 (95% CI, 0.55-7.29). None of the 2000 donors who underwent tests for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were positive. The SARS-CoV-2 infection epidemic curve was observed sporadically in blood donors compared with the nosocomial cluster. Conclusions In early 2021, an extremely low anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among blood donors was observed. Epidemic control measures through precise close contact tracing, testing, and isolation effectively contained SARS-CoV-2 transmission before universal vaccination program implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jen-Wei Chen
- Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Sheng-Mou Hou
- Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
- Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Ho-Sheng Wu
- Hsinchu Blood Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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4
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Raineri A, Radtke T, Rueegg S, Haile SR, Menges D, Ballouz T, Ulyte A, Fehr J, Cornejo DL, Pantaleo G, Pellaton C, Fenwick C, Puhan MA, Kriemler S. Persistent humoral immune response in youth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: prospective school-based cohort study. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7764. [PMID: 38012137 PMCID: PMC10682435 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43330-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the development of humoral immune responses of children and adolescents to SARS-CoV-2 is essential for designing effective public health measures. Here we examine the changes of humoral immune response in school-aged children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2020 to July 2022), with a specific interest in the Omicron variant (beginning of 2022). In our study "Ciao Corona", we assess in each of the five testing rounds between 1874 and 2500 children and adolescents from 55 schools in the canton of Zurich with a particular focus on a longitudinal cohort (n=751). By July 2022, 96.9% (95% credible interval 95.3-98.1%) of children and adolescents have SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgG (S-IgG) antibodies. Those with hybrid immunity or vaccination have higher S-IgG titres and stronger neutralising responses against Wildtype, Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants compared to those infected but unvaccinated. S-IgG persist over 18 months in 93% of children and adolescents. During the study period one adolescent was hospitalised for less than 24 hours possibly related to an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings show that the Omicron wave and the rollout of vaccines boosted S-IgG titres and neutralising capacity. Trial registration number: NCT04448717. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04448717 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Raineri
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Radtke
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sonja Rueegg
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sarah R Haile
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Menges
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tala Ballouz
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Agne Ulyte
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Fehr
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel L Cornejo
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Pantaleo
- Service of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Céline Pellaton
- Service of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Craig Fenwick
- Service of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Milo A Puhan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susi Kriemler
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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5
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Tancredi S, Chiolero A, Wagner C, Haller ML, Chocano-Bedoya P, Ortega N, Rodondi N, Kaufmann L, Lorthe E, Baysson H, Stringhini S, Michel G, Lüdi C, Harju E, Frank I, Imboden M, Witzig M, Keidel D, Probst-Hensch N, Amati R, Albanese E, Corna L, Crivelli L, Vincentini J, Gonseth Nusslé S, Bochud M, D'Acremont V, Kohler P, Kahlert CR, Cusini A, Frei A, Puhan MA, Geigges M, Kaufmann M, Fehr J, Cullati S. Seroprevalence trends of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated risk factors: a population-based study. Infection 2023; 51:1453-1465. [PMID: 36870034 PMCID: PMC9985433 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-023-02011-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to assess the seroprevalence trends of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in several Swiss cantons between May 2020 and September 2021 and investigate risk factors for seropositivity and their changes over time. METHODS We conducted repeated population-based serological studies in different Swiss regions using a common methodology. We defined three study periods: May-October 2020 (period 1, prior to vaccination), November 2020-mid-May 2021 (period 2, first months of the vaccination campaign), and mid-May-September 2021 (period 3, a large share of the population vaccinated). We measured anti-spike IgG. Participants provided information on sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status, and adherence to preventive measures. We estimated seroprevalence with a Bayesian logistic regression model and the association between risk factors and seropositivity with Poisson models. RESULTS We included 13,291 participants aged 20 and older from 11 Swiss cantons. Seroprevalence was 3.7% (95% CI 2.1-4.9) in period 1, 16.2% (95% CI 14.4-17.5) in period 2, and 72.0% (95% CI 70.3-73.8) in period 3, with regional variations. In period 1, younger age (20-64) was the only factor associated with higher seropositivity. In period 3, being aged ≥ 65 years, with a high income, retired, overweight or obese or with other comorbidities, was associated with higher seropositivity. These associations disappeared after adjusting for vaccination status. Seropositivity was lower in participants with lower adherence to preventive measures, due to a lower vaccination uptake. CONCLUSIONS Seroprevalence sharply increased over time, also thanks to vaccination, with some regional variations. After the vaccination campaign, no differences between subgroups were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Tancredi
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Arnaud Chiolero
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia Wagner
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Moa Lina Haller
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Chocano-Bedoya
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Ortega
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Rodondi
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaufmann
- Cantonal Public Health Service of the Canton of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Elsa Lorthe
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- University Center for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gisela Michel
- Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Lüdi
- Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Erika Harju
- Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Clinical Trial Unit, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Irene Frank
- Clinical Trial Unit, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Medea Imboden
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melissa Witzig
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Keidel
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Probst-Hensch
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca Amati
- Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Emiliano Albanese
- Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Laurie Corna
- Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
| | - Luca Crivelli
- Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
| | - Julia Vincentini
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Semira Gonseth Nusslé
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Murielle Bochud
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valérie D'Acremont
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Kohler
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Christian R Kahlert
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Alexia Cusini
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital of Grisons, Chur, Switzerland
| | - Anja Frei
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Milo A Puhan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Geigges
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Kaufmann
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Fehr
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Cullati
- Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Readaptation and Geriatrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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6
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Metzger C, Leroy T, Bochnakian A, Jeulin H, Gegout-Petit A, Legrand K, Schvoerer E, Guillemin F. Seroprevalence and SARS-CoV-2 invasion in general populations: A scoping review over the first year of the pandemic. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0269104. [PMID: 37075077 PMCID: PMC10118383 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, counting infected people has underestimated asymptomatic cases. This literature scoping review assessed the seroprevalence progression in general populations worldwide over the first year of the pandemic. Seroprevalence studies were searched in PubMed, Web of Science and medRxiv databases up to early April 2021. Inclusion criteria were a general population of all ages or blood donors as a proxy. All articles were screened for the title and abstract by two readers, and data were extracted from selected articles. Discrepancies were resolved with a third reader. From 139 articles (including 6 reviews), the seroprevalence estimated in 41 countries ranged from 0 to 69%, with a heterogenous increase over time and continents, unevenly distributed among countries (differences up to 69%) and sometimes among regions within a country (up to 10%). The seroprevalence of asymptomatic cases ranged from 0% to 31.5%. Seropositivity risk factors included low income, low education, low smoking frequency, deprived area residency, high number of children, densely populated centres, and presence of a case in a household. This review of seroprevalence studies over the first year of the pandemic documented the progression of this virus across the world in time and space and the risk factors that influenced its spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Metzger
- CHRU -Nancy, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, CIC Epidémiologie clinique,
F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Taylor Leroy
- CHRU -Nancy, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, CIC Epidémiologie clinique,
F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Agathe Bochnakian
- CHRU -Nancy, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, CIC Epidémiologie clinique,
F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Hélène Jeulin
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCPME, F‐54000, Nancy,
France
- Laboratoire de Virologie, CHRU de Nancy Brabois, F‐54500, Nancy,
France
| | | | - Karine Legrand
- CHRU -Nancy, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, CIC Epidémiologie clinique,
F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - Evelyne Schvoerer
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCPME, F‐54000, Nancy,
France
- Laboratoire de Virologie, CHRU de Nancy Brabois, F‐54500, Nancy,
France
| | - Francis Guillemin
- CHRU -Nancy, INSERM, Université de Lorraine, CIC Epidémiologie clinique,
F-54000, Nancy, France
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7
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Zaballa ME, Perez-Saez J, de Mestral C, Pullen N, Lamour J, Turelli P, Raclot C, Baysson H, Pennacchio F, Villers J, Duc J, Richard V, Dumont R, Semaani C, Loizeau AJ, Graindorge C, Lorthe E, Balavoine JF, Pittet D, Schibler M, Vuilleumier N, Chappuis F, Kherad O, Azman AS, Posfay-Barbe KM, Kaiser L, Trono D, Stringhini S, Guessous I. Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and cross-variant neutralization capacity after the Omicron BA.2 wave in Geneva, Switzerland: a population-based study. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 24:100547. [PMID: 36474728 PMCID: PMC9714630 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the population has developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from infection and/or vaccination. However, public health decision-making is hindered by the lack of up-to-date and precise characterization of the immune landscape in the population. Here, we estimated anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence and cross-variant neutralization capacity after Omicron became dominant in Geneva, Switzerland. Methods We conducted a population-based serosurvey between April 29 and June 9, 2022, recruiting children and adults of all ages from age-stratified random samples of the general population of Geneva, Switzerland. We tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using commercial immunoassays targeting either the spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) protein, and for antibody neutralization capacity against different SARS-CoV-2 variants using a cell-free Spike trimer-ACE2 binding-based surrogate neutralization assay. We estimated seroprevalence and neutralization capacity using a Bayesian modeling framework accounting for the demographics, vaccination, and infection statuses of the Geneva population. Findings Among the 2521 individuals included in the analysis, the estimated total antibodies seroprevalence was 93.8% (95% CrI 93.1-94.5), including 72.4% (70.0-74.7) for infection-induced antibodies. Estimates of neutralizing antibodies in a representative subsample (N = 1160) ranged from 79.5% (77.1-81.8) against the Alpha variant to 46.7% (43.0-50.4) against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. Despite having high seroprevalence of infection-induced antibodies (76.7% [69.7-83.0] for ages 0-5 years, 90.5% [86.5-94.1] for ages 6-11 years), children aged <12 years had substantially lower neutralizing activity than older participants, particularly against Omicron subvariants. Overall, vaccination was associated with higher neutralizing activity against pre-Omicron variants. Vaccine booster alongside recent infection was associated with higher neutralizing activity against Omicron subvariants. Interpretation While most of the Geneva population has developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies through vaccination and/or infection, less than half has neutralizing activity against the currently circulating Omicron BA.5 subvariant. Hybrid immunity obtained through booster vaccination and infection confers the greatest neutralization capacity, including against Omicron. Funding General Directorate of Health in Geneva canton, Private Foundation of the Geneva University Hospitals, European Commission ("CoVICIS" grant), and a private foundation advised by CARIGEST SA.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Eugenia Zaballa
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Javier Perez-Saez
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Carlos de Mestral
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,University Centre for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nick Pullen
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Lamour
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Priscilla Turelli
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Charlène Raclot
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Villers
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Duc
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Richard
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Dumont
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Claire Semaani
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Jutta Loizeau
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clément Graindorge
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elsa Lorthe
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Didier Pittet
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Infection Control Program and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Schibler
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Vuilleumier
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François Chappuis
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Division and Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Omar Kherad
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Internal Medicine, Hôpital de la Tour, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrew S. Azman
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Klara M. Posfay-Barbe
- Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Pediatrics, Gynecology & Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Diagnostics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland,University Centre for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland,Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Corresponding author. Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland,Division and Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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8
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Günther F, Einhauser S, Peterhoff D, Wiegrebe S, Niller HH, Beileke S, Steininger P, Burkhardt R, Küchenhoff H, Gefeller O, Überla K, Heid IM, Wagner R. Higher Infection Risk among Health Care Workers and Lower Risk among Smokers Persistent across SARS-CoV-2 Waves-Longitudinal Results from the Population-Based TiKoCo Seroprevalence Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16996. [PMID: 36554876 PMCID: PMC9779618 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was reported as substantially increased in medical personnel and decreased in smokers after the first wave in spring 2020, including in our population-based Tirschenreuth Study (TiKoCo). However, it is unclear whether these associations were limited to the early pandemic and whether the decrease in smokers was due to reduced infection or antibody response. We evaluated the association of occupation and smoking with period-specific seropositivity: for the first wave until July 2020 (baseline, BL), the low infection period in summer (follow-up 1, FU1, November 2020), and the second/third wave (FU2, April 2021). We measured binding antibodies directed to SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (N), viral spike protein (S), and neutralizing antibodies at BL, FU1, and FU2. Previous infection, vaccination, smoking, and occupation were assessed by questionnaires. The 4181 participants (3513/3374 at FU1/FU2) included 6.5% medical personnel and 20.4% current smokers. At all three timepoints, new seropositivity was higher in medical personnel with ORs = 1.99 (95%-CI = 1.36-2.93), 1.41 (0.29-6.80), and 3.17 (1.92-5.24) at BL, FU1, and FU2, respectively, and nearly halved among current smokers with ORs = 0.47 (95%-CI = 0.33-0.66), 0.40 (0.09-1.81), and 0.56 (0.33-0.94). Current smokers compared to never-smokers had similar antibody levels after infection or vaccination and reduced odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 result among tested. Our data suggest that decreased seroprevalence among smokers results from fewer infections rather than reduced antibody response. The persistently higher infection risk of medical staff across infection waves, despite improved means of protection over time, underscores the burden for health care personnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Günther
- Department of Mathematics, Stockholm University, Albanovägen 28, 11419 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Einhauser
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - David Peterhoff
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Simon Wiegrebe
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Statistical Consulting Unit StaBLab, Department of Statistics, LMU Munich, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Hans Helmut Niller
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Beileke
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Philipp Steininger
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ralph Burkhardt
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Helmut Küchenhoff
- Statistical Consulting Unit StaBLab, Department of Statistics, LMU Munich, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Olaf Gefeller
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Waldstr. 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Klaus Überla
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Iris M. Heid
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Wagner
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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9
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Piumatti G, Amati R, Richard A, Baysson H, Purgato M, Guessous I, Stringhini S, Albanese E. Associations between Depression and Self-Reported COVID-19 Symptoms among Adults: Results from Two Population-Based Seroprevalence Studies in Switzerland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16696. [PMID: 36554578 PMCID: PMC9779289 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
(1) Mental health may modulate the perceived risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it is unclear how psychological symptoms may distort symptom perception of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection. We assessed whether depressive symptoms predicted self-reported COVID-19 symptoms, independently of serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. (2) Participants (aged 20-64) in the Geneva (N = 576) and Ticino (N = 581) Swiss regions completed the Patient Health Questionnaire before being tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and recalled COVID-19-compatible symptoms on two occasions: April-July 2020 (baseline), and January-February 2021 (follow-up). We estimated prevalence ratios for COVID-19 symptoms by depression scores in interaction with serological status. (3) At baseline, in Geneva, higher depression predicted higher probability of reporting systemic, upper airways, and gastro-intestinal symptoms, and fever and/or cough; in Ticino, higher depression predicted systemic, upper airways, and gastro-intestinal symptoms, fever and/or cough, dyspnea, and headache. At follow-up, in Geneva, higher depression predicted higher probability of reporting systemic symptoms and dyspnea; in Ticino, higher depression predicted higher probability of reporting systemic and upper airways symptoms, dyspnea and headache (all p values < 0.05). (4) We found positive associations between depressive symptoms and COVID-19-compatible symptoms, independently of seropositivity. Mental wellbeing has relevant public health implications because it modulates self-reported infection symptoms that inform testing, self-medication, and containment measures, including quarantine and isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Amati
- Institute of Public Health, Faculty of BioMedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Aude Richard
- Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marianna Purgato
- Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy
| | - Idris Guessous
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Division of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emiliano Albanese
- Institute of Public Health, Faculty of BioMedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
- Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
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10
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Dumont R, Richard V, Lorthe E, Loizeau A, Pennacchio F, Zaballa ME, Baysson H, Nehme M, Perrin A, L'Huillier AG, Kaiser L, Barbe RP, Posfay-Barbe KM, Stringhini S, Guessous I. A population-based serological study of post-COVID syndrome prevalence and risk factors in children and adolescents. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7086. [PMID: 36446760 PMCID: PMC9708639 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-COVID syndrome remains poorly studied in children and adolescents. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pediatric post-COVID in a population-based sample, stratifying by serological status. Children from the SEROCoV-KIDS cohort study (State of Geneva, Switzerland), aged 6 months to 17 years, were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N antibodies (December 2021-February 2022) and parents filled in a questionnaire on persistent symptoms in their children (lasting over 12 weeks) compatible with post-COVID. Of 1034 children tested, 570 (55.1%) were seropositive. The sex- and age-adjusted prevalence of persistent symptoms among seropositive children was 9.1% (95%CI: 6.7;11.8) and 5.0% (95%CI: 3.0;7.1) among seronegatives, with an adjusted prevalence difference (ΔaPrev) of 4.1% (95%CI: 1.1;7.3). Stratifying per age group, only adolescents displayed a substantial risk of having post-COVID symptoms (ΔaPrev = 8.3%, 95%CI: 3.5;13.5). Identified risk factors for post-COVID syndrome were older age, having a lower socioeconomic status and suffering from chronic health conditions, especially asthma. Our findings show that a significant proportion of seropositive children, particularly adolescents, experienced persistent COVID symptoms. While there is a need for further investigations, growing evidence of pediatric post-COVID urges early screening and primary care management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxane Dumont
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Richard
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elsa Lorthe
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Loizeau
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - María-Eugenia Zaballa
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mayssam Nehme
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anne Perrin
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud G L'Huillier
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Geneva Center for Emerging Viral Diseases and Laboratory Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rémy P Barbe
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Klara M Posfay-Barbe
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- University Center for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Division and Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
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11
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Tobacco use and risk of COVID-19 infection in the Finnish general population. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20335. [PMID: 36434073 PMCID: PMC9700668 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24148-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Empirical evidence, primarily based on hospital-based or voluntary samples, suggests that current smokers have a lower risk of COVID-19 infection than never smokers. In this study, we used nationally representative data to examine the association between tobacco use and the risk of having a confirmed COVID-19 case. We explored several forms of tobacco use, contributing to separate the role of nicotine from smoking. We used data from 44,199 participants from three pooled national health surveys in Finland (FinSote 2018-2020). The primary outcome was a confirmed COVID-19 case. We examined current smoking, moist smokeless tobacco (snus), e-cigarettes with and without nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy products. Current daily smokers had a relative risk of 1.12 of a confirmed COVID-19 case (95% CI 0.65; 1.94) in fully adjusted models compared with never smokers. Current snus use was associated with a 68% higher risk of a confirmed COVID-19 case (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.02; 2.75) than never users. We did not find conclusive evidence of associations between e-cigarettes with and without nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy products and the risk of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Our findings suggest that nicotine might not have a protective role in the risk of COVID-19 as previously hypothesized.
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12
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Kaur A, Singh N, Singh K, Sidhu SK, Kaur H, Jain P, Kaur M, Jairath M. SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Seroprevalence in Children from the Amritsar District of Punjab. KOREAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.15324/kjcls.2022.54.3.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amandeep Kaur
- The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | - Narinder Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | - Kanwardeep Singh
- Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | | | - Harleen Kaur
- The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | - Poonam Jain
- The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | - Manmeet Kaur
- Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
| | - Mohan Jairath
- The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Government Medical College, Amritsar, India
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Tomaselli V, Ferrara P, Cantone GG, Romeo AC, Rust S, Saitta D, Caraci F, Romano C, Thangaraju M, Zuccarello P, Rose J, Ferrante M, Belsey J, Cibella F, Caci G, Ferri R, Polosa R. The effect of laboratory-verified smoking on SARS-CoV-2 infection: results from the Troina sero-epidemiological survey. Intern Emerg Med 2022; 17:1617-1630. [PMID: 35419722 PMCID: PMC9007731 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-022-02975-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous research yielded conflicting results on the association between cigarette smoking and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since the prevalence of smoking is high globally, the study of its impact on COVID-19 pandemic may have considerable implications for public health. This study is the first to investigate the association between the SARS-CoV-2 antibody sero-positivity and biochemically verified smoking status, to refine current estimates on this association. SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and serum cotinine levels (a well-known marker of tobacco exposure) were assessed in a large sero-epidemiological survey conducted in the town of Troina (Sicily, Italy). A propensity score matching was carried out to reduce the effect of possible factors on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among study participants. Of the 1785 subjects included in our study, one-third was classified as current smokers, based on serum cotinine levels. The overall proportion of subjects with positive serology for SARS-CoV-2 IgG was 5.4%. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity and previous COVID-19 diagnosis were reduced in smokers. This reduced prevalence persisted after adjusting for possible confounders (such as sex, age, previous infection, chronic conditions, and risk group) at regression analyses, and the point estimates based on the PS-matched models resulted consistent with those for the unmatched population. This study found a lower proportion of positive SARS-CoV-2 serology among current smokers, using direct laboratory measures of tobacco exposure and thus avoiding possible bias associated with self-reported smoking status. Results may also serve as a reference for future clinical research on potential pharmaceutical role of nicotine or nicotinic-cholinergic agonists against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venera Tomaselli
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Pietro Ferrara
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Center for Public Health Research, University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Giulio G Cantone
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Ettore Majorana", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Sonja Rust
- ECLAT Srl, Spin-off of the University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Daniela Saitta
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy
- ECLAT Srl, Spin-off of the University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Murugesan Thangaraju
- Bioanalytical Laboratory, Center for Smoking Cessation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Pietro Zuccarello
- Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Jed Rose
- Bioanalytical Laboratory, Center for Smoking Cessation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Margherita Ferrante
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Cibella
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, National Research Council of Italy, Palermo, Italy
| | - Grazia Caci
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Riccardo Polosa
- Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University di Catania, Catania, Italy.
- ECLAT Srl, Spin-off of the University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
- Institute of Internal Medicine, AOU "Policlinico-V. Emanuele", Via S. Sofia, 78, Catania, Italy.
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Panahibakhsh M, Amiri F, Doroudi T, Sadeghi M, Kolivand P, Alipour F, Gorji A. The association between micronutrients and the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in convalescent patients. Infection 2022; 50:965-972. [PMID: 35190974 PMCID: PMC8860137 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-022-01774-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various micronutrients play key roles in the immune responses to viral infection, antibody synthesis, and susceptibility to infection. This study aimed to investigate the role of micronutrients on the immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS To evaluate humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection, the levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG, as well as the concentrations of different micronutrients, were determined in 36 convalescent COVID-19 patients 60 days after infection. Furthermore, the correlation between biochemical and hematological parameters, clinical features, and the changes in adiposity with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was evaluated. RESULTS Serum IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 38.8% and 83.3% of recovered patients after 60 days of COVID-19 infection, respectively. The values of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG were negatively correlated with the number of the platelet. Moreover, the values of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM were positively correlated with LDH and the vitamin B12 concentration. Furthermore, a gender-specific association of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgM with vitamins D as well as with B9 and zinc was observed. A significant negative correlation was observed between the values of IgG with vitamin D in male participants and a positive correlation was detected between IgG values and B9 in female participants. Moreover, IgM levels with serum zinc values in females were negatively correlated. CONCLUSION Our study suggests the potential role of micronutrients in gender-specific humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are required with a greater sample of subjects to substantiate the validity and robustness of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faramarz Amiri
- Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Taher Doroudi
- Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Sadeghi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Alipour
- Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Gorji
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. .,Epilepsy Research Center, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany. .,Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany.
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15
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Wisniak A, Menon LK, Dumont R, Pullen N, Regard S, Dubos R, Zaballa ME, Baysson H, Courvoisier D, Kaiser L, Pittet D, Azman AS, Stringhini S, Guessous I, Balavoine JF, Kherad O. Association between SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Nursing Home Staff and Resident COVID-19 Cases and Mortality: A Cross-Sectional Study. Viruses 2021; 14:v14010043. [PMID: 35062247 PMCID: PMC8779720 DOI: 10.3390/v14010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The burden of COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted the elderly, who are at increased risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association between SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among nursing home staff, and cumulative incidence rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among residents. Staff seroprevalence was estimated within the SEROCoV-WORK+ study between May and September 2020 across 29 nursing homes in Geneva, Switzerland. Data on nursing home residents were obtained from the canton of Geneva for the period between March and August 2020. Associations were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and quasi-Poisson regression models. Overall, seroprevalence among staff ranged between 0 and 31.4%, with a median of 8.3%. A positive association was found between staff seroprevalence and resident cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases (correlation coefficient R = 0.72, 95%CI 0.45–0.87; incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.10, 95%CI 1.07–1.17), hospitalizations (R = 0.59, 95%CI 0.25–0.80; IRR = 1.09, 95%CI 1.05–1.13), and deaths (R = 0.71, 95%CI 0.44–0.86; IRR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.07–1.18). Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 transmission between staff and residents may contribute to the spread of the virus within nursing homes. Awareness among nursing home professionals of their likely role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to increase vaccination coverage and prevent unnecessary deaths due to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ania Wisniak
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Lakshmi Krishna Menon
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Dumont
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Nick Pullen
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Simon Regard
- Department of Security, Population and Health, General Health Directorate, Canton of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Richard Dubos
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
| | - María-Eugenia Zaballa
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
| | - Delphine Courvoisier
- Care Quality Division, Medical and Quality Directorate, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
- Geneva Center for Emerging Viral Diseases and Laboratory Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (D.P.); (J.-F.B.); (O.K.)
| | - Didier Pittet
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (D.P.); (J.-F.B.); (O.K.)
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Patient Safety, Infection Control Program, Department of Internal Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrew S. Azman
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (L.K.M.); (R.D.); (N.P.); (R.D.); (M.-E.Z.); (H.B.); (A.S.A.); (S.S.)
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
- University Center for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
- Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-François Balavoine
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (D.P.); (J.-F.B.); (O.K.)
| | - Omar Kherad
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (D.P.); (J.-F.B.); (O.K.)
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hôpital de la Tour, 1217 Meyrin, Switzerland
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16
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Zinszer K, McKinnon B, Bourque N, Pierce L, Saucier A, Otis A, Cheriet I, Papenburg J, Hamelin MÈ, Charland K, Carbonneau J, Zahreddine M, Savard A, Fortin G, Apostolatos A, Haley N, Ratté N, Laurin I, Nguyen CT, Conrod P, Boivin G, De Serres G, Quach C. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Children in School and Day Care in Montreal, Canada. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2135975. [PMID: 34812845 PMCID: PMC8611475 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.35975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Quebec prioritized in-person learning after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with school closures being implemented temporarily in selected schools or in hot-spot areas. Quebec's decision to keep most schools open was controversial, especially in Montreal, which was the epicenter of Canada's first and second waves; therefore, understanding the extent to which children were infected with SARS-CoV-2 provides important information for decisions about school closures. OBJECTIVE To estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in children and teenagers in 4 neighborhoods of Montreal, Canada. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study (the Enfants et COVID-19: Étude de séroprévalence [EnCORE] study) enrolled a convenience sample of children aged 2 to 17 years between October 22, 2020, and March 22, 2021, in Montreal, Canada. EXPOSURES Potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The main outcome was seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, collected using dried blood spots (DBSs) and analyzed with a research-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Parents also completed an online questionnaire that included questions on self-reported COVID-19 symptoms and tests, along with sociodemographic questions. RESULTS This study included 1632 participants who provided a DBS sample from 30 day cares, 22 primary schools, and 11 secondary schools. The mean (SD) age of the children who provided a DBS sample was 9.0 (4.4) years; 801 (49%) were female individuals, with 354 participants (22%) from day cares, 725 (44%) from primary schools, and 553 (34%) from secondary schools. Most parents had at least a bachelor's degree (1228 [75%]), and 210 (13%) self-identified as being a racial or ethnic minority. The mean seroprevalence was 5.8% (95% CI, 4.6%-7.0%) but increased over time from 3.2% (95% CI, 0.7%-5.8%) in October to November 2020 to 8.4% (95% CI, 4.4%-12.4%) in March to April 2021. Of the 95 children with positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody results, 78 (82%) were not tested or tested negative with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, and all experienced mild (49 [52%]) or no clinical symptoms (46 [48%]). The children of parents who self-identified as belonging to a racial and ethnic minority group were more likely to be seropositive compared with children of White parents (adjusted seroprevalence ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These results provide a benchmark of the seroprevalence status in Canadian children. The findings suggest that there was more transmission occurring in children compared with what was being detected by RT-PCR, although children experienced few or mild symptoms. It will be important to continue monitoring the serological status of children, particularly in the context of new COVID-19 variants of concern and in the absence of mass vaccination campaigns targeting young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Zinszer
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Britt McKinnon
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noémie Bourque
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laura Pierce
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adrien Saucier
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alexandra Otis
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Jesse Papenburg
- Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Katia Charland
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Ashley Savard
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Geneviève Fortin
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Public Health Research, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Nancy Haley
- Direction régionale de la santé publique du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nathalie Ratté
- Direction régionale de la santé publique du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabel Laurin
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Direction régionale de la santé publique du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cat Tuong Nguyen
- Direction régionale de la santé publique du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patrica Conrod
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Centre of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guy Boivin
- Research Centre Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gaston De Serres
- National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Caroline Quach
- University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Centre of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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17
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Stringhini S, Zaballa ME, Pullen N, Perez-Saez J, de Mestral C, Loizeau AJ, Lamour J, Pennacchio F, Wisniak A, Dumont R, Baysson H, Richard V, Lorthe E, Semaani C, Balavoine JF, Pittet D, Vuilleumier N, Chappuis F, Kherad O, Azman AS, Posfay-Barbe K, Kaiser L, Guessous I. Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 6 months into the vaccination campaign in Geneva, Switzerland, 1 June to 7 July 2021. Euro Surveill 2021; 26:2100830. [PMID: 34713799 PMCID: PMC8555371 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.43.2100830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundUp-to-date seroprevalence estimates are critical to describe the SARS-CoV-2 immune landscape and to guide public health decisions.AimWe estimate seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 15 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and 6 months into the vaccination campaign.MethodsWe conducted a population-based cross-sectional serosurvey between 1 June and 7 July 2021, recruiting participants from age- and sex-stratified random samples of the general population. We tested participants for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies targeting the spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) proteins using the Roche Elecsys immunoassays. We estimated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence following vaccination and/or infection (anti-S antibodies), or infection only (anti-N antibodies).ResultsAmong 3,355 individuals (54.1% women; 20.8% aged < 18 years and 13.4% aged ≥ 65 years), 2,161 (64.4%) had anti-S antibodies and 906 (27.0%) had anti-N antibodies. The total seroprevalence was 66.1% (95% credible interval (CrI): 64.1-68.0). We estimated that 29.9% (95% Crl: 28.0-31.9) of the population developed antibodies after infection; the rest having developed antibodies via vaccination. Seroprevalence estimates differed markedly across age groups, being lowest among children aged 0-5 years (20.8%; 95% Crl: 15.5-26.7) and highest among older adults aged ≥ 75 years (93.1%; 95% Crl: 89.6-96.0). Seroprevalence of antibodies developed via infection and/or vaccination was higher among participants with higher educational level.ConclusionMost of the population has developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, despite most teenagers and children remaining vulnerable to infection. As the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spreads and vaccination rates stagnate, efforts are needed to address vaccine hesitancy, particularly among younger individuals and to minimise spread among children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Stringhini
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- University Centre for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - María-Eugenia Zaballa
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nick Pullen
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Javier Perez-Saez
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carlos de Mestral
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- University Centre for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Jutta Loizeau
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Lamour
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ania Wisniak
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Roxane Dumont
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Baysson
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Richard
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elsa Lorthe
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Claire Semaani
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Didier Pittet
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Infection Control Program and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Vuilleumier
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François Chappuis
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division and Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Omar Kherad
- Division of Internal Medicine, Hôpital de la Tour, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrew S Azman
- Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Klara Posfay-Barbe
- Department of Woman, Child, and Adolescent Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Kaiser
- Geneva Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases and Laboratory Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Division and Department of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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