Prevalence and Course of IgA and IgG Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in Healthcare Workers during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Germany: Interim Results from an Ongoing Observational Cohort Study

• Published in: Healthcare (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 5; p. 498
• Main Authors: Reinwald, Mark, Deckert, Peter Markus, Ritter, Oliver, Andresen, Henrike, Schreyer, Andreas G, Weylandt, Karsten Henrich, Dammermann, Werner, Lüth, Stefan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.04.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA; Antibodies; Antigens; Asymptomatic; Blood & organ donations; Cohort analysis; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Health care policy; healthcare workers; Hospitals; Infections; Medical personnel; Observational studies; Pandemics; Population; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Serology; seroprevalence; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; symptoms; Workers; Germany; COVID-19; symptoms; SARS-CoV-2; anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA; healthcare workers; IgG response; seroprevalence; first wave; Germany
• ISSN: 2227-9032; 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9050498

(1) Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are prone to intensified exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the ongoing pandemic. We prospectively analyzed the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in HCWs at baseline and follow up with regard to clinical signs and symptoms in two university hospitals in Brandenburg, Germany. (2) Methods: Screening for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgG antibodies was offered to HCWs at baseline and follow up two months thereafter in two hospitals of Brandenburg Medical School during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany in an ongoing observational cohort study. Medical history and signs and symptoms were recorded by questionnaires and analyzed. (3) Results: Baseline seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA was 11.7% and increased to 15% at follow up, whereas IgG seropositivity was 2.1% at baseline and 2.2% at follow up. The rate of asymptomatic seropositive cases was 39.5%. Symptoms were not associated with general seropositivity for anti-SARS-CoV-2; however, class switch from IgA to IgG was associated with increased symptom burden. (4) Conclusions: The seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was low in HCWs but higher compared to population data and increased over time. Screening for antibodies detected a significant proportion of seropositive participants cases without symptoms.