BMC Infectious Diseases (Feb 2024)

Creation of a pandemic memory by tracing COVID-19 infections and immunity in Luxembourg (CON-VINCE)

  • Olena Tsurkalenko,
  • Dmitry Bulaev,
  • Marc Paul O’Sullivan,
  • Chantal Snoeck,
  • Soumyabrata Ghosh,
  • Alexey Kolodkin,
  • Basile Rommes,
  • Piotr Gawron,
  • Carlos Vega Moreno,
  • Clarissa P. C. Gomes,
  • Anne Kaysen,
  • Jochen Ohnmacht,
  • Valerie E. Schröder,
  • Lukas Pavelka,
  • Guilherme Ramos Meyers,
  • Laure Pauly,
  • Claire Pauly,
  • Anne-Marie Hanff,
  • Max Meyrath,
  • Anja Leist,
  • Estelle Sandt,
  • Gloria A. Aguayo,
  • Magali Perquin,
  • Manon Gantenbein,
  • Tamir Abdelrahman,
  • Jochen Klucken,
  • Venkata Satagopam,
  • Christiane Hilger,
  • Jonathan Turner,
  • Michel Vaillant,
  • Joëlle V. Fritz,
  • Markus Ollert,
  • Rejko Krüger,
  • on behalf of the CON-VINCE consortium and the ORCHESTRA working group

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-09055-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic swift implementation of research cohorts was key. While many studies focused exclusively on infected individuals, population based cohorts are essential for the follow-up of SARS-CoV-2 impact on public health. Here we present the CON-VINCE cohort, estimate the point and period prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, reflect on the spread within the Luxembourgish population, examine immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, and ascertain the impact of the pandemic on population psychological wellbeing at a nationwide level. Methods A representative sample of the adult Luxembourgish population was enrolled. The cohort was followed-up for twelve months. SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR and serology were conducted at each sampling visit. The surveys included detailed epidemiological, clinical, socio-economic, and psychological data. Results One thousand eight hundred sixty-five individuals were followed over seven visits (April 2020—June 2021) with the final weighted period prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection of 15%. The participants had similar risks of being infected regardless of their gender, age, employment status and education level. Vaccination increased the chances of IgG-S positivity in infected individuals. Depression, anxiety, loneliness and stress levels increased at a point of study when there were strict containment measures, returning to baseline afterwards. Conclusion The data collected in CON-VINCE study allowed obtaining insights into the infection spread in Luxembourg, immunity build-up and the impact of the pandemic on psychological wellbeing of the population. Moreover, the study holds great translational potential, as samples stored at the biobank, together with self-reported questionnaire information, can be exploited in further research. Trial registration Trial registration number: NCT04379297, 10 April 2020.

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