Prevalence of COVID-19 Antibodies in Healthcare Workers at the Peak of the Pandemic in Mumbai, India: A Preliminary Study

• Published in: Indian journal of medical microbiology Vol. 38; no. 3-4; pp. 461 - 463
• Main Authors: Singhal, Tanu, Shah, Sweta, Naik, Reshma, Kazi, Amreen, Thakkar, Pooja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier B.V 01.07.2020; Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd; Elsevier Limited; Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. Published by Elsevier B.V
• Subjects: Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; asymptomatic; Asymptomatic Diseases - epidemiology; Betacoronavirus - immunology; Brief Communication; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Health care; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; healthcare workers; India; India - epidemiology; Infections; Medical personnel; Pandemics; Pilot Projects; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Polymerase chain reaction; Prevalence; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Reverse transcription; SARS-CoV-2; India; Mumbai India; COVID-19; Antibodies; asymptomatic; healthcare workers; India
• ISSN: 0255-0857; 1998-3646
• DOI: 10.4103/ijmm.IJMM_20_308

Healthcare worker (HCW) infections due to COVID-19 are of serious consequence. Testing for antibodies against COVID-19 in HCWs has been previously recommended. We conducted a serosurvey in HCWs at a private hospital in Mumbai which is treating COVID patients. A total of 244 HCWs were tested. The prevalence of infection in asymptomatic HCWs was 4.3% and in previously symptomatic untested HCWs was 70%. We recommend that HCWs with a previous history of COVID symptoms who were not tested/tested negative by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction should be tested for antibodies at least 2 weeks after onset of symptoms.