The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods and Materials
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Serologic Testing, Data Collection, and Data Compilation
2.3. Study Participants
- Physicians;
- Fifth-year medical students;
- Nurses/midwives;
- Other HCWs (e.g., healthcare assistant, radiology technician, physiotherapist/rehabilitation specialist, dietician, psychologist, social worker, volunteer, cleaning staff, diagnostic laboratory technician, registration/patient information desk worker);
- Administrative staff.
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Descriptive Characteristics of the Study Population
3.2. Relationship between a Positive Result for COVID-19 and Selected Elements of Prevention and Control of Infections
3.3. Relationship of Occupational Exposure in People with a Positive Result for COVID-19
3.4. Multivariable Analysis of Factors Associated with the Course of the Infection, i.e., a Positive Test Result for SARS-CoV-2
3.5. Multivariable Analysis Describing Respondents with Asymptomatic Course of Infection Who Were Not Aware of It
4. Discussion
5. Strengths and Limitations
6. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
References
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Investigated Professional and Non-Professional Factors | Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies (n = 1221) | p-Value | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes n (%) | No n (%) | Total n (%) | ||
Sex | ||||
Male | 59 (38.8) | 93 (61.2) | 152 (12.4) | 0.305 |
Female | 462 (42.3) | 607 (56.8) | 1069 (87.6) | |
Age | ||||
Average, SD | 42.0 (12.3) | 40.6 (12.9) | 41.3 (12.7) | 0.071 |
18–36 years | 178 (38.1) | 289 (61.9) | 467 (38.2) | 0.017 |
37–55 years | 270 (46.8) | 307 (53.2) | 577 (47.3) | |
56 years or more | 73 (41.2) | 104 (58.8) | 177 (14.5) | |
Occupation | ||||
Physicians | 43 (43.4) | 56 (56.6) | 99 (8.1) | <0.0001 |
Medical students | 30 (25.2) | 89 (74.8) | 119 (9.7) | |
Nurses/midwives | 305 (48.0) | 331 (52.0) | 636 (52.1) | |
Other HCWs | 79 (40.7) | 115 (59.3) | 194 (15.9) | |
Administrative workers | 64 (37.0) | 109 (63.0) | 173 (14.2) | |
Work experience | ||||
Less than 12 months | 42 (37.5) | 70 (62.5) | 112 (9.2) | 0.073 |
1–5 years | 111 (38.3) | 179 (61.7) | 290 (23.8) | |
6 years or more | 368 (33.9) | 451 (55.1) | 819 (67.1) | |
In the past 14 days, how often have you used public transport? | ||||
Almost every day | 117 (38.0) | 191 (62.0) | 308 (25.2) | 0.224 |
Often | 71 (41.8) | 99 (58.2) | 170 (13.9) | |
Rarely | 94 (43.7) | 121 (56.3) | 215 (17.6) | |
I do not use public transport | 239 (45.3) | 289 (54.7) | 528 (43.2) | |
In the past 14 days, how often have you had social interaction with individuals outside of work or family? | ||||
Almost every day | 178 (39.9) | 268 (60.1) | 446 (36.5) | 0.395 |
Often | 181 (45.5) | 217 (54.5) | 398 (32.6) | |
Rarely | 155 (42.7) | 208 (57.3) | 363 (29.7) | |
There was no such situation | 7 (50.0) | 7 (50.0) | 14 (1.1) | |
Where do you work? | ||||
ICU with COVID-19 | 71 (44.1) | 90 (55.9) | 161 (13.2) | 0.115 |
ICU without COVID-19 | 14 (29.2) | 34 (70.8) | 48 (3.9) | |
Non-ICU with COVID-19 | 103 (50.0) | 103 (50.0) | 206 (16.9) | |
Non-ICU without COVID-19 | 173 (43.4) | 226 (56.6) | 399 (32.7) | |
ED, outpatient clinic | 31 (38.3) | 50 (61.7) | 81 (6.6) | |
Medical imaging | 32 (39.0) | 50 (61.0) | 82 (6.7) | |
Others | 97 (39.8) | 147 (60.2) | 244 (20.0) | |
Are you taking care of or do you have direct contact with a patient, with or without COVID-19? | ||||
Yes | 445 (43.5) | 578 (56.5) | 1023 (83.9) | 0.183 |
No | 76 (38.4) | 122 (61.6) | 198 (16.2) | |
Are you taking care of or do you have direct contact with a COVID-19 patient? | ||||
Yes | 364 (44.0) | 463 (56.0) | 827 (67.7) | 0.169 |
No | 157 (39.8) | 237 (60.2) | 394 (32.3) | |
Have you ever been positive for SARS-CoV-2? | ||||
Yes | 332 (97.4) | 9 (2.6) | 341 (27.9) | <0.001 |
No OR I do not know | 189 (21.5) | 691 (78.5) | 880 (72.1) | |
Did you receive infection prevention and control training (all infections, not just COVID-19)? n (%) | ||||
Yes | 452 (44.5) | 563 (55.5) | 1015 (83.1) | 0.003 |
No | 69 (33.5) | 137 (66.5) | 206 (16.9) | |
Did you receive specific training in the care of COVID-19 patients? | ||||
Yes | 266 (43.6) | 344 (56.4) | 610 (56.5) | 0.860 |
No | 202 (43.1) | 267 (56.9) | 469 (43.5) | |
Are you familiar with the “moments for hand hygiene” recommended by the WHO | ||||
Correct answer | 356 (43.2) | 469 (56.8) | 825 (67.6) | 0.623 |
Incorrect answer OR I do not know them | 165 (41.7) | 231 (58.3) | 396 (32.4) |
Selected Elements of the Prevention and Control of Infections in Healthcare Facilities | Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies (n = 719) | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|
Positive (%) | Negative (%) | ||
Are you familiar with the “moments for hand hygiene” recommended by the WHO? | |||
Yes, all 5 | 266 (46.9) | 301 (53.1) | 0.291 |
I do not know them OR incorrect answer | 64 (42.1) | 88 (57.9) | |
The preferred hand hygiene technique | |||
Hand rubbing | 60 (49.6) | 61 (50.4) | 0.519 |
Others, hand washing with OR without hand rubbing | 192 (46.3) | 223 (53.7) | |
Hand hygiene before contact with patient (1st“moment for hand hygiene”) | |||
Always | 227 (48.6) | 240 (51.4) | 0.055 |
In most cases OR sometimes OR rarely OR never | 25 (36.2) | 44 (63.8) | |
Do you follow IPC standard precautions when in contact with any patient? | |||
Always | 232 (45.9) | 273 (54.1) | 0.226 |
In most cases OR sometimes OR rarely OR never | 93 (47.7) | 102 (52.3) | |
I do not know what IPC standard precautions are | 3 (23.1) | 10 (76.9) |
Characteristics of People with a Positive Test Result for SARS-CoV-2 IgM + IgG | Did the Infection Result from Occupation Exposure? Self-Reported Declaration n = 223 (%) | p-Value | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | I do not know | ||
Profession | ||||
Physicians | 5 (26.3) | 1 (5.3) | 13 (68.4) | 0.023 |
Nurses/midwives | 96 (53.3) | 23 (12.8) | 61 (33.9) | |
Other HCWs | 16 (66.7) | 3 (12.5) | 5 (20.8) | |
Workplace restricted to COVID-19 cases | ||||
ICU or ED | 19 (39.6) | 8 (16.7) | 21 (43.8) | 0.002 |
Non-ICU | 78 (56.1) | 15 (10.8) | 46 (33.1) | |
Operation room | 6 (50.0) | 1 (8.3) | 5 (41.7) | |
Others | 14 (58.3) | 3 (12.5) | 7 (29.2) |
Study Group/Profession (n = 719) | OR | 95% CI | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|
I use proper hand hygiene according to the “WHO 5 moments”, always vs. others | 0.9 | 0.71–1.32 | 0.852 |
Occupation | |||
Other HCWs | Ref. | ||
Physicians | 1.2 | 0.60–2.26 | 0.654 |
Nurses/midwives | 1.7 | 1.02–2.73 | 0.042 |
Workplace: | |||
ICU, ED | Ref. | ||
Non-ICU | 1.5 | 1.05–2.26 | 0.027 |
Operation room | 1.0 | 0.55–1.92 | 0.925 |
Outpatient clinic | 0.6 | 0.55–1.47 | 0.285 |
Other | 1.0 | 0.52–2.02 | 0.947 |
Working with COVID-19 patients, yes vs. no | 0.0 | 0.68–1.36 | 0.812 |
Study Group/Profession (n = 416) | OR | 95% CI | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|
Sex, female vs. male | 0.5 | 0.25–1.12 | 0.121 |
Age | |||
18–36 | Ref. | ||
37–55 | 0.7 | 0.36–0.95 | 0.031 |
56 or more | 0.7 | 0.36–1.47 | 0.368 |
Caring for a COVID-19 patient | 2.3 | 1.32–3.90 | 0.003 |
Occupation | |||
Other HCWs | Ref. | ||
Physicians | 2.5 | 0.97–6.35 | 0.58 |
Medical students | 4.9 | 1.43–16.73 | 0.012 |
Nurses/midwives | 1.5 | 0.69–3.29 | 0.303 |
Workplace | |||
Outpatient clinic | Ref. | ||
Non-ICU | 0,6 | 0.18–1.78 | 0.325 |
ICU | 0.5 | 0.13–1.76 | 0.275 |
Operation room | 1.8 | 0.44–7.03 | 0.426 |
Other | 0.6 | 0.16–2.52 | 0.519 |
When was the first known contact with a COVID-19 patient? | |||
February–May 2020 | Ref. | ||
June–September 2020 | 0.5 | 0.29–0.96 | 0.035 |
October–December 2020 | 1.3 | 0.69–2.31 | 0.455 |
Infection training rating, high vs. low | 1.0 | 0.58–1.90 | 0.881 |
Compliance with the standard precautions, always vs. not always | 1.0 | 0.58–1.62 | 0.903 |
Proper application of IPC procedures, yes vs. no | 0.8 | 0.28–2.48 | 0.752 |
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Żółtowska, B.; Barańska, I.; Jachowicz, E.; Sydor, W.; Maziarz, B.; Mydel, K.; Różańska, A.; Wizner, B.; Rosiński, J.; Kossowska, M.; et al. The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 4044. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074044
Żółtowska B, Barańska I, Jachowicz E, Sydor W, Maziarz B, Mydel K, Różańska A, Wizner B, Rosiński J, Kossowska M, et al. The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(7):4044. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074044
Chicago/Turabian StyleŻółtowska, Barbara, Ilona Barańska, Estera Jachowicz, Wojciech Sydor, Barbara Maziarz, Krzysztof Mydel, Anna Różańska, Barbara Wizner, Jerzy Rosiński, Magdalena Kossowska, and et al. 2022. "The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 7: 4044. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074044