SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among healthcare workers from a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Med J. 2021 Nov;42(11):1243-1246. doi: 10.15537/smj.2021.42.11.20210391.

Abstract

Objectives: To calculate the seroprevalence of asymptomatic healthcare workers (HCWs) in our institution.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among asymptomatic HCWs in a large hospital during the peak of the pandemic (from July to August 2020 and followed them up until February 2021) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We collected the data in a Microsoft Word document after collecting a single serum sample for detection of antibodies from each participant then we compared the results statically in Microsoft Excel tables.

Results: We enrolled 188 participants and measured their IgG antibodies from venous blood samples using CLIA. Six (3.2%) had positive antibodies despite being asymptomatic. Most of these were from non-COVID-19 working areas (4 out of 6), but all had an exposure with a positive COVID-19 patient at some point in the preceding 2 months.

Conclusions: Our results are consistent with similar local studies showing low seroprevalence among HCWs while most positive cases are from non-COVID-19 areas. Despite this low seroprevalence, HCWs are still considered a high-risk group; hence, there is a need to encourage strict implementation and adherence to infection control measures and vaccination among HCWs, especially when these measures are relaxed on the national level.

Keywords: COVID-19; IgG antibodies; Saudi Arabia; healthcare workers; seroprevalence.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • COVID-19*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Health Personnel
  • Humans
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Tertiary Care Centers

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral