Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in health care workers at a tertiary care academic medical center - An assessment of occupational infection risk

Derek Forster; Nan Lin; Justin Levens; Rachael Stone; Scott Berry; Eric Durbin; C. Darrell Jennings; Robert DiPaola; Jill M. Kolesar

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2021.04.005

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Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in health care workers at a tertiary care academic medical center - An assessment of occupational infection risk

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in health care workers at a tertiary care academic medical center - An assessment of occupational infection risk

Derek Forster, Nan Lin, Justin Levens, Rachael Stone, Scott Berry, Eric Durbin, C. Darrell Jennings, Robert DiPaola and Jill M. Kolesar

American journal of infection control, Vol.49(9), pp.1158-1161

09/01/2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.04.005

PMCID: PMC8387089

PMID: 34454683

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Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the occupational SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among health care workers (HCW) at University of Kentucky HealthCare (UKHC) by evaluating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of HCW at UKHC. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody seropositivity was measured in a CLIA-certified laboratory utilizing the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assay. Demo-graphics and work type were self-reported by study participants via an emailed survey. Results: The overall antibody positivity rate of HCW was 1.55% (5/322; 95% confidence interval: 0.65%-3.71%) at cohort entry. There were no differences in antibody positivity between those that worked directly with SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and those that did not. The antibody rate of positivity of patients during the same time period was similar, 1.8% (9/499; 95% confidence interval 0.94%-3.45%). Conclusions: Antibody positivity was low and similar between HCW and patients tested during a similar time period. HCW positivity rates did not appear to be impacted by caring for known SARS-CoV-2 infected patients suggesting that appropriate use of personal protective equipment is effective in protecting individu-als from transmission. (c) 2021 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infectious Diseases

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in health care workers at a tertiary care academic medical center - An assessment of occupational infection risk
Creators: Derek Forster - University of Kentucky
Nan Lin - University of Kentucky
Justin Levens - Markey Cancer Center
Rachael Stone - University of Kentucky
Scott Berry - University of Kentucky
Eric Durbin - University of Kentucky
C. Darrell Jennings - University of Kentucky
Robert DiPaola - University of Kentucky
Jill M. Kolesar - University of Kentucky
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of infection control, Vol.49(9), pp.1158-1161
Publisher: Elsevier
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.04.005
PMID: 34454683
PMCID: PMC8387089
ISSN: 0196-6553
eISSN: 1527-3296
Number of pages: 4
Language: English
Date published: 09/01/2021
Academic Unit: Pharmacy; Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics
Record Identifier: 9984695795302771

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