Seroprevalence, infection, and personal protective equipment use among Colombian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health

Consuelo Romero-Sanchez¹  Viviana Avila²  Stefania Martignon²  Edgar O. Beltrán²  Myriam L. Velandia-Romero³  Carolina Coronel-Ruiz³  Jaime E. Castellanos⁴ 

[1] Universidad El Bosque, Cellular and Molecular Immunology Group, InmuBO, School of Dentistry, Bogotá, Colombia;Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Clinical Immunology Group-Hospital Militar, School of Medicine, Bogotá, Colombia;Universidad El Bosque, Research Department, UNICA—Caries Research Unit, Bogotá, Colombia;Universidad El Bosque, Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones, Grupo de Virología, Bogotá, Colombia;Universidad El Bosque, Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones, Grupo de Virología, Bogotá, Colombia;Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Grupo de Investigaciones Básicas y Aplicadas en Odontología, Bogotá, Colombia;

关键词: SARS-CoV-2;    COVID-19;    infection;    biosafety;    prevalence;    health personnel;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2023.1225037

 received in 2023-05-19, accepted in 2023-08-28,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at the forefront of the COVID-19 response and frequently come into close contact with patients and their virus-contaminated body fluids. Recent studies have identified differential risks of infection and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among HCWs. However, available data might be interpreted with caution because of differences in the national health systems, local implementation issues, and adherence limitations to guidelines. A comprehensive description of infection, exposure at work, and biosafety habits during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been conducted among the HCW groups in Latin American populations.ObjectiveTo describe SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, infections, and extent of PPE use during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs at three different times, including dental practitioners (DP), nursing assistants (NA), physicians (P), and respiratory therapists (RT), from Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: After IRB approval, this cross-sectional study included 307 HCWs. Participants provided nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples to detect viral RNA (RT-qPCR) and IgM/IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 (ELFA-ELISA) at baseline (BL) and two follow-ups. Infection prevalence was defined as the number of positive-tested participants (RT-qPCR and/or IgM). Data on clinical status and biosafety habits were collected each time.ResultsDifferential infection prevalence was found among HCWs through the study timeline (BL: RT-qPCR = 2.6%, IgM = 1.6%; follow-up 1 (45 days after BL): RT-qPCR = 4.5%, IgM = 3.9%; follow-up 2 (60 days after BL): RT-qPCR = 3.58%, IgM = 1.3%. Dental practitioners showed a higher infection frequency in BL and follow-up 1. IgG-positive tested HCWs percentage progressively increased from BL to follow-ups among the whole sample while index values decreased. Limitations in N95 availability and a high perception of occupational risk were reported.ConclusionA low prevalence of active SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs groups was found. Over time, there was an increase in participants showing IgG antibodies, although the levels of these antibodies in the blood decreased. Additionally, HCWs reported limitations in the availability of PPE as well as a variation in their safety practices.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Beltrán, Martignon, Coronel-Ruiz, Velandia-Romero, Romero-Sanchez, Avila and Castellanos.