SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Seroprevalence in Gabon: Findings from a Nationwide Household Serosurvey in a Sub-Saharan Africa Country
Samira Zoa-Assoumou,
Paulin Essone-Ndong,
Rafiou Adamou,
Sandrine Lydie Oyegue-Liabagui,
Amandine Mveang Nzoghe,
Bayodé Roméo Adegbite,
Armel Mintsa Ndong,
Herve Mboyis-Kandem,
Marien Juliet Verraldy Magossou Mbadinga,
Angelique Ndjoyi-Mbiguino,
Armel Brice Amalet Akagha,
Krystina Mengue Me Ngou-Milama,
Magaran Monzon Bagayoko,
Inoua Aboubacar,
Jean-Bernard Lekana-Douki,
Joel Fleury Djoba Siawaya,
Ayola Akim Adegnika,
Edgard-Brice Ngoungou,
COVID-19 Gabonese Group
Affiliations
Samira Zoa-Assoumou
Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Paulin Essone-Ndong
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 118, Gabon
Rafiou Adamou
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 118, Gabon
Sandrine Lydie Oyegue-Liabagui
Unité d’Evolution, Epidémiologie et Résistance Parasitaire, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon
Amandine Mveang Nzoghe
Unité de Recherche et Diagnostics Spécialisé, Service Laboratoire, CHU-Mère-Enfant Fondation Jeanne Ebori, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Bayodé Roméo Adegbite
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 118, Gabon
Armel Mintsa Ndong
Laboratoire Nationale de Santé Publique (LNSP), Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Herve Mboyis-Kandem
Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Marien Juliet Verraldy Magossou Mbadinga
Unité de Recherche et Diagnostics Spécialisé, Service Laboratoire, CHU-Mère-Enfant Fondation Jeanne Ebori, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Angelique Ndjoyi-Mbiguino
Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Armel Brice Amalet Akagha
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Krystina Mengue Me Ngou-Milama
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Magaran Monzon Bagayoko
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Inoua Aboubacar
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Jean-Bernard Lekana-Douki
Unité d’Evolution, Epidémiologie et Résistance Parasitaire, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon
Joel Fleury Djoba Siawaya
Unité de Recherche et Diagnostics Spécialisé, Service Laboratoire, CHU-Mère-Enfant Fondation Jeanne Ebori, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Ayola Akim Adegnika
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 118, Gabon
Edgard-Brice Ngoungou
Department of Epidemiology-Biostatistics and Medical Informatics (DEBIM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Libreville BP 4009, Gabon
Seroconversion surveys of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies provide accurate estimates of the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This nationwide population-based cross-sectional serosurvey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among residents in Gabon and compare the estimated cumulative number of COVID-19 cases with the officially registered number of laboratory-confirmed cases up to December 2021. Households in each province were randomly selected. Twenty-eight localities, including sixteen urban and twelve rural, were randomly selected for the study. Whole blood samples were collected in dry tubes from all study participants nationwide within 15 days. Serum samples were used to measure SARS-CoV-2-specific ELISA titers. Overall, data from 1672 households were analyzed. Out of the 3659 participants, 3175 were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, resulting in a crude seroprevalence of 86.77%. Stratification of study participants by age group showed the highest seroprevalences in the 20–29 and 40–49 age groups with 91.78% (95% CI: 89.5–93.6) and 91.42% (95% CI: 88.7–93.5), respectively. Nyanga province had the lowest prevalence (72.8%), and Estuaire and Ogooué-Lolo provinces had the highest prevalence (90 and 92%). Our results suggest a high transmission rate in the Gabonese population 21 months after the first SARS-CoV-2 case in the country. This high seroprevalence estimate could indicate that the population may not have adequately implemented or appropriately adhered to the applied infection control measures.