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Post-outbreak serological screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers at a Swedish University Hospital

Strand, Rasmus ; Fernström, Nils ; Holmberg, Anna LU ; De Marinis, Yang LU ; Fraenkel, Carl-Johan LU orcid and Rasmussen, Magnus LU orcid (2021) In Infectious Diseases 53(9). p.707-712
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can have devastating consequences from both a resource cost and patient healthcare perspective. Relying on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for identifying infected individuals may result in missed cases. Screening for antibodies after an outbreak can help to find missed cases and better illuminate routes of transmission.

METHODS: In this study, we present the results of a serological screening of the healthcare workers (HCWs) on a ward for infectious diseases in Sweden with a point-of-care antibody test 8 weeks after an outbreak of COVID-19. In all, 107/123 (87%) of HCWs who were tested with RT-PCR in the outbreak investigation... (More)

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can have devastating consequences from both a resource cost and patient healthcare perspective. Relying on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for identifying infected individuals may result in missed cases. Screening for antibodies after an outbreak can help to find missed cases and better illuminate routes of transmission.

METHODS: In this study, we present the results of a serological screening of the healthcare workers (HCWs) on a ward for infectious diseases in Sweden with a point-of-care antibody test 8 weeks after an outbreak of COVID-19. In all, 107/123 (87%) of HCWs who were tested with RT-PCR in the outbreak investigation participated in this study on seroprevalence. Participants were also asked to fill out a questionnaire entailing epidemiological data. The cohort was stratified by RT-PCR result and the resulting groups were compared to each other.

RESULTS: Six (8%) HCWs who were tested RT-PCR negative during the outbreak investigation had developed specific IgG antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These HCWs had all worked shifts with colleagues who later were tested RT-PCR positive during the outbreak.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a serological follow-up screening after an outbreak may be used as a complement to virus detection in an outbreak situation. However, immunoglobulin (Ig) G-detection should also be performed at the start of an outbreak, to facilitate interpretation of the results.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Antibodies, Viral, COVID-19, Disease Outbreaks, Health Personnel, Humans, SARS-CoV-2, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Sweden/epidemiology
in
Infectious Diseases
volume
53
issue
9
pages
707 - 712
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85106310947
  • pmid:33974498
ISSN
2374-4235
DOI
10.1080/23744235.2021.1925739
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
75ce2f08-acba-453b-aed2-e682e1a16b2f
date added to LUP
2021-10-06 00:03:25
date last changed
2025-01-13 14:34:31
@article{75ce2f08-acba-453b-aed2-e682e1a16b2f,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Nosocomial outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can have devastating consequences from both a resource cost and patient healthcare perspective. Relying on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for identifying infected individuals may result in missed cases. Screening for antibodies after an outbreak can help to find missed cases and better illuminate routes of transmission.</p><p>METHODS: In this study, we present the results of a serological screening of the healthcare workers (HCWs) on a ward for infectious diseases in Sweden with a point-of-care antibody test 8 weeks after an outbreak of COVID-19. In all, 107/123 (87%) of HCWs who were tested with RT-PCR in the outbreak investigation participated in this study on seroprevalence. Participants were also asked to fill out a questionnaire entailing epidemiological data. The cohort was stratified by RT-PCR result and the resulting groups were compared to each other.</p><p>RESULTS: Six (8%) HCWs who were tested RT-PCR negative during the outbreak investigation had developed specific IgG antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These HCWs had all worked shifts with colleagues who later were tested RT-PCR positive during the outbreak.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a serological follow-up screening after an outbreak may be used as a complement to virus detection in an outbreak situation. However, immunoglobulin (Ig) G-detection should also be performed at the start of an outbreak, to facilitate interpretation of the results.</p>}},
  author       = {{Strand, Rasmus and Fernström, Nils and Holmberg, Anna and De Marinis, Yang and Fraenkel, Carl-Johan and Rasmussen, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{2374-4235}},
  keywords     = {{Antibodies, Viral; COVID-19; Disease Outbreaks; Health Personnel; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sweden/epidemiology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{707--712}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Post-outbreak serological screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers at a Swedish University Hospital}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2021.1925739}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/23744235.2021.1925739}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}