Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Northern Italy population before the COVID-19 second wave

• Authors: Nausicaa Berselli , Tommaso Filippini , Stefania Paduano , Marcella Malavolti , Alberto Modenese , Fabriziomaria Gobba , Paola Borella , Isabella Marchesi , Roberto Vivoli , Paola Perlini , Rossana Bellucci , Annalisa Bargellini , Marco Vinceti

Abstracts

EN

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic is due to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections. It swept across the world in the spring of 2020, and so far it has caused a huge number of hospitalizations and deaths. In the present study, the authors investigated serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in the period of June 1–September 25, 2020, in 7561 subjects in Modena, Northern Italy.Material and MethodsThe study population included 5454 workers referred to testing by their companies, and 2107 residents in the Modena area who accessed testing through self-referral.ResultsThe authors found the overall seroprevalence to be 4.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.2–5.2%), which was higher in women (5.4%, 95% CI: 4.5–6.2%) than in men (4.3%, 95% CI: 3.7–4.9%), and in the oldest age groups (7.3%, 95% CI: 5.2–9.3% for persons aged 60–69 years, and 11.8%, 95% CI: 8.6–15.1%, for persons aged ≥70 years). Among the occupational categories, the highest seroprevalence was found in healthcare workers (8.8%, 95% CI: 7.0–10.5%), dealers and vehicle repairers (5.2%, 95% CI: 2.9–7.6%), and workers in the sports sector (4.0%, 95% CI: 1.8–6.1%), while there was little or no such evidence for those employed in sectors such as transport and storage, accommodation and restaurant services, and the school system. Conclusions: These results have allowed, for the first time, to assess population seroprevalence in this area of Italy severely hit by the epidemic, while at the same time identifying the subgroups at a higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords

EN

health personnel; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 serological testing; seroepidemiologic studies; occupational groups

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 63-74

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Nausicaa Berselli

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Tommaso Filippini

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Stefania Paduano

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Marcella Malavolti

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Alberto Modenese

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Fabriziomaria Gobba

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Paola Borella

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Isabella Marchesi

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Roberto Vivoli

• Test Laboratory, Modena, Italy

author

Paola Perlini

• Test Laboratory, Modena, Italy

author

Rossana Bellucci

• Test Laboratory, Modena, Italy

author

Annalisa Bargellini

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)

author

Marco Vinceti

• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences)
• Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Department of Epidemiology)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01826

Biblioteka Nauki

2085664