Yared S, Abera T, Ali SM, Muhummed AM, Ibrahim M, Hassan A, Hattendorf J, Zinsstag J, Tschopp R. A community based seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Somali Region, Eastern Ethiopia.
Immun Inflamm Dis 2024;
12:e1148. [PMID:
38270297 PMCID:
PMC10777752 DOI:
10.1002/iid3.1148]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is life-threatening infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 has been widely transmitted throughout Ethiopia, with over 501,060 cases confirmed and 7574 deaths until November 2023. This study assessed for the first time the seroprevalence SARS-CoV-2 in the general population of the Somali Region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study design was conducted from May to June 2021 in 14 districts of Somali Region. Blood samples were collected in 820 participants in addition to administering a questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics and history of clinical symptoms of COVID-19. Blood samples were tested for the presence or absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (Euroimmun).
RESULTS
Overall, 477 (58.2%) were male and 343 (41.8%) were female. The majority of the participants (N = 581; 70.9%) were between 18 and 34 years old and not vaccinated against COVID-19 (N = 793; 96.7%). The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 41.7% (95% CI: 33.3%-47.6%). The highest prevalence was found in Goljano district (70%) and the lowest in Gunagado district (22.5%). Only age was found to be associated with COVID-19 seropositivity.
CONCLUSION
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was the highest ever reported in Ethiopia, indicating that a large proportion of the population had been infected 14 months after the start of the outbreak in the country. Such studies are important to swiftly reassess and improve specific COVID-19 preventive and control measures to reduce transmissions within the community in a given setting.
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