Seroprevalence of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among the Personnel and Students of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece: A Preliminary Report
Open Access
- 21 September 2020
- Vol. 10 (9), 214
- https://doi.org/10.3390/life10090214
Abstract
Due to early implementation of public health measures, Greece had low number of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 severe incidents in hospitalized patients. The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (ΝΚUA), especially its health-care/medical personnel, has been actively involved in the first line of state responses to COVID-19. To estimate the prevalence of antibodies (Igs) against SARS-CoV-2 among NKUA members, we designed a five consecutive monthly serosurvey among randomly selected NKUA consenting volunteers. Here, we present the results from the first 2500 plasma samples collected during June–July 2020. Twenty-five donors were tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 Igs; thus, the overall seroprevalence was 1.00%. The weighted overall seroprevalence was 0.93% (95% CI: 0.27, 2.09) and varied between males [1.05% (95% CI: 0.18, 2.92)] and females [0.84% (95% CI: 0.13, 2.49)], age-groups and different categories (higher in participants from the School of Health Sciences and in scientific affiliates/faculty members/laboratory assistants), but no statistical differences were detected. Although focused on the specific population of NKUA members, our study shows that the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Igs for the period June–July 2020 remained low and provides knowledge of public health importance for the NKUA members. Given that approximately one in three infections was asymptomatic, continuous monitoring of the progression of the pandemic by assessing Ig seroprevalence is needed.Keywords
Funding Information
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA-SARG 70/3/16690)
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19Nature Medicine, 2020
- Remarkable variability in SARS-CoV-2 antibodies across Brazilian regions: nationwide serological household survey in 27 statesPublished by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ,2020
- What policy makers need to know about COVID-19 protective immunityThe Lancet, 2020
- A systematic review of antibody mediated immunity to coronaviruses: antibody kinetics, correlates of protection, and association of antibody responses with severity of diseasePublished by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ,2020
- Rapid asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 during the incubation period demonstrating strong infectivity in a cluster of youngsters aged 16-23 years outside Wuhan and characteristics of young patients with COVID-19: A prospective contact-tracing studyJournal of Infection, 2020
- Indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ,2020
- Asymptomatic cases in a family cluster with SARS-CoV-2 infectionThe Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2020
- Viral dynamics in mild and severe cases of COVID-19The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2020
- Estimating the Extent of True Asymptomatic COVID-19 and Its Potential for Community Transmission: Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisSSRN Electronic Journal, 2020