Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh 2020: a population-based cross-sectional study
Mahbubur Rahman,
Mohammad Mostafa Zaman,
Meerjady Sabrina Flora,
Egmond Samir Evers,
Sharmin Sultana,
Nawroz Afreen,
David S Kennedy,
Tahmina Shirin,
A S M Alamgir,
Mallick Masum Billah,
Kai von Harbou,
Ferdous Hakim,
Ahmed Nawsher Alam,
Samsad Rabbani Khan,
Md Sahidul Islam,
Debashish Paul,
Rijwan Bhuiyan,
Raisul Islam,
Adneen Moureen,
M Salimuzzaman,
Ahmed Raihan Sharif,
Mst Khaleda Akter,
Manjur Hossain Khan
Affiliations
Mahbubur Rahman
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Mohammad Mostafa Zaman
Ekhlaspur Center of Health, Chandpur, Bangladesh
Meerjady Sabrina Flora
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Egmond Samir Evers
Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
Sharmin Sultana
Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nawroz Afreen
1Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
David S Kennedy
UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine/Public Health England, London, UK
Tahmina Shirin
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
A S M Alamgir
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Mallick Masum Billah
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Kai von Harbou
WHO Cox’s Bazar Emergency Sub-Office, United Nations, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
Ferdous Hakim
World Health Organization Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Ahmed Nawsher Alam
Department of Virology, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Samsad Rabbani Khan
Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Md Sahidul Islam
Research and Publication, World Health Organization Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Debashish Paul
WHO Emergency Sub-Office, World Health Organization, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
Rijwan Bhuiyan
Co-ordination Center, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
Raisul Islam
WHO Emergency Sub-Office, World Health Organization, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
Adneen Moureen
IEDCR Field Laboratory, World Health Organization, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
M Salimuzzaman
Zoonosis, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Ahmed Raihan Sharif
Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Mst Khaleda Akter
Research and Publication, World Health Organization Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Manjur Hossain Khan
Virology, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Objectives The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, the fraction of asymptomatic infections, and risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infections among the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs).Design It was a population-based two-stage cross-sectional study at the level of households.Setting The study was conducted in December 2020 among household members of the FDMN population living in the 34 camps of Ukhia and Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh.Participants Among 860 697 FDMNs residing in 187 517 households, 3446 were recruited for the study. One individual aged 1 year or older was randomly selected from each targeted household.Primary and secondary outcome measures Blood samples from respondents were tested for total antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 using Wantai ELISA kits, and later positive samples were validated by Kantaro kits.Results More than half (55.3%) of the respondents were females, aged 23 median (IQR 14–35) years and more than half (58.4%) had no formal education. Overall, 2090 of 3446 study participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibody. The weighted and test adjusted seroprevalence (95% CI) was 48.3% (45.3% to 51.4%), which did not differ by the sexes. Children (aged 1–17 years) had a significantly lower seroprevalence 38.6% (95% CI 33.8% to 43.4%) compared with adults (58.1%, 95% CI 55.2% to 61.1%). Almost half (45.7%, 95% CI 41.9% to 49.5%) of seropositive individuals reported no relevant symptoms since March 2020. Antibody seroprevalence was higher in those with any comorbidity (57.8%, 95% CI 50.4% to 64.5%) than those without (47.2%, 95% CI 43.9% to 50.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of all subjects identified increasing age and education as risk factors for seropositivity. In children (≤17 years), only age was significantly associated with the infection.Conclusions In December 2020, about half of the FDMNs had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, including those who reported no history of symptoms. Periodic serosurveys are necessary to recommend appropriate public health measures to limit transmission.
