Multicountry study of SARS-CoV-2 and associated risk factors among healthcare workers in Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and South Africa

Abstract

Background Reports on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread across Africa have varied, including among healthcare workers (HCWs). This study assessed the comparative SARS-CoV-2 burden and associated risk factors among HCWs in three African countries. Methods A multicentre study was conducted at regional healthcare facilities in Côte d’Ivoire (CIV), Burkina Faso (BF) and South Africa (SA) from February to May 2021. HCWs provided blood samples for SARS-CoV-2 serology and nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs for testing of acute infection by polymerase chain reaction and completed a questionnaire. Factors associated with seropositivity were assessed with logistic regression. Results Among 719 HCWs, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 34.6% (95% confidence interval 31.2 to 38.2), ranging from 19.2% in CIV to 45.7% in BF. A total of 20 of 523 (3.8%) were positive for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Female HCWs had higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity compared with males, and nursing staff, allied health professionals, non-caregiver personnel and administration had higher odds compared with physicians. HCWs also reported infection prevention and control (IPC) gaps, including 38.7% and 29% having access to respirators and IPC training, respectively, in the last year. Conclusions This study was a unique comparative HCW SARS-CoV-2 investigation in Africa. Seroprevalence estimates varied, highlighting distinctive population/facility-level factors affecting COVID-19 burden and the importance of established IPC programmes to protect HCWs and patients.

Antibody Responses to SARS-Cov-2 among Health Care Workers of a Tertiary Hospital in North-Eastern, Tanzania

“…This indicate that there was an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among allied HCWS compared medical doctors and nursing cadres. Results are concordant with one previous observational study, which had shown increasing odds off seropositivity in allied health professionals compared to medical doctors (32). The reasons behind this finding are necessary to be explored in order to protect these allied HCWs from the risk of acquiring communicable diseases in their work setting…”

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among Beninese pregnant women in the third year of the pandemic

“…However, these results were not replicated in participants from Natitingou. Similarly, other studies also failed to find an association between SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and presence of comorbidities [ 36 – 39 ]. In this sense, there are still gaps in the understanding of antibody levels and duration of protection against SARS-CoV-2 in people with comorbidities.…”

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in pregnant women during the first three COVID-19 waves in The Gambia

“…However, there is emerging evidence that transmission in SSA has been at least as high or even higher than in other continents [9], although these data should be interpreted with caution as some studies have important limitations. Most of them do not represent the entire population, rather specific groups, generally high risk groups [10]. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence may be overestimated as SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may cross-react with other viral or parasitic antibodies in the region, such as IgG antibodies against the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of different human coronaviruses: HCoV-OC43, HKU-1, NL63 and 229E, as well as SARS and MERS [11], and IgG directed against Plasmodium falciparum antigens where malaria is endemic [12].…”