Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of SARS CoV-2 in Health Care Workers of Tertiary-Care Hospitals in the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Background

High number of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients has overburdened healthcare delivery system, particularly in low-income countries. In the recent past many studies from the developed countries have been published on the prevalence of SARS CoV-2 antibodies and the risk factors of COVID-19 in healthcare-workers but little is known from developing countries.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody and risk factors for seropositivity in HCWs in tertiary-care hospitals of Peshawar city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Pakistan.

Results

The overall seroprevalence of SARS CoV-2 antibodies was 30·7% (CI, 27·8–33·6) in 1011 HCWs. Laboratory technicians had the highest seropositivity (50·0%, CI, 31·8–68·1).

Risk analysis revealed that wearing face-mask and observing social-distancing within a family could reduce the risk (OR:0·67. p<0·05) and (OR:0·73. p<0·05) while the odds of seropositivity were higher among those attending funeral and visiting local-markets (OR:1·83. p<0·05) and (OR:1·66. p<0·01). In Univariable analysis, being a nursing staff and a paramedical staff led to higher risk of seropositivity (OR:1.58. p< 0·05), (OR:1·79. p< 0·05). Fever (OR:2·36, CI, 1·52– 3·68) and loss of smell (OR:2·95, CI: 1·46–5·98) were significantly associated with increased risk of seropositivity (p<0.01). Among the seropositive HCWs, 165 (53·2%) had no symptoms at all while 145 (46·8%) had one or more symptoms.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in HCWs warrants for better training and use of protective measure to reduce their risk. Early detection of asymptomatic HCWs may be of special importance because they are likely to be potential threat to others during the active phase of viremia.