Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Binding and Neutralizing Antibodies in Healthcare Workers during the Epidemic Peak in Referral Hospitals and Quarantine Sites: Saudi Arabia
Rowa Y. Alhabbab,
Ahdab Alsaieedi,
Abdullah Algaissi,
Sara Almahboub,
Rajaa M. Al-Raddadi,
Omaima I. Shabouni,
Rahaf Alhabbab,
Abdulelah A. Alfaraj,
Sawsan S. Alamri,
Najwa D. Aljehani,
Rwaa H. Abdulal,
Mohamed A. Alfaleh,
Turki S. Abujamel,
Almohanad A. Alkayyal,
Ahmad Bakur Mahmoud,
Adel M. Abuzenadah,
Anwar M. Hashem
Affiliations
Rowa Y. Alhabbab
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Ahdab Alsaieedi
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Algaissi
Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Sara Almahboub
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Rajaa M. Al-Raddadi
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Omaima I. Shabouni
Ministry of Health, Jeddah 23325, Saudi Arabia
Rahaf Alhabbab
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah 23325, Saudi Arabia
Abdulelah A. Alfaraj
Department of Phlebotomy, Blood Bank & Laboratory, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah 23325, Saudi Arabia
Sawsan S. Alamri
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Najwa D. Aljehani
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Rwaa H. Abdulal
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed A. Alfaleh
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Turki S. Abujamel
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Almohanad A. Alkayyal
Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia
Ahmad Bakur Mahmoud
College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunwarah 42353, Saudi Arabia
Adel M. Abuzenadah
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Anwar M. Hashem
Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to the general population. Here, we aimed to evaluate and characterize the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate in randomly collected samples among HCWs from the largest referral hospitals and quarantine sites during the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic in the city of Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, using a cross-sectional analytic study design. Out of 693 participants recruited from 29 June to 10 August 2020, 223 (32.2%, 95% CI: 28.8–35.8) were found to be confirmed seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and among those 197 (88.3%) had never been diagnosed with COVID-19. Seropositivity was not significantly associated with participants reporting COVID-19 compatible symptoms as most seropositive HCW participants 140 (62.8%) were asymptomatic. The large proportion of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 cases detected in our study demands periodic testing as a general hospital policy.
