Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among Health Care Workers—Zambia, July 2020

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Clin Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Fwoloshi, Sombo ; Hines, Jonas Z ; Barradas, Danielle T ; Yingst, Samuel ; Siwingwa, Mpanji ; Chirwa, Lameck ; Zulu, James E ; Banda, Dabwitso ; Wolkon, Adam ; Nikoi, Kotey I ; Chirwa, Bob ; Kampamba, Davies ; Shibemba, Aaron ; Sivile, Suilanji ; Zyambo, Khozya D ; Chanda, Duncan ; Mupeta, Francis ; Kapina, Muzala ; Sinyange, Nyambe ; Kapata, Nathan ; Zulu, Paul M ; Makupe, Alex ; Mweemba, Aggrey ; Mbewe, Nyuma ; Ziko, Luunga ; Mukonka, Victor ; Mulenga, Lloyd B ; Malama, Kennedy ; Agolory, Simon
• Description:
  Introduction
  
  Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Zambia have become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs is not known in Zambia.
  
  Methods
  
  We conducted a cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 prevalence survey among Zambian HCWs in twenty health facilities in six districts in July 2020. Participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for health facility clustering, were calculated for each test separately and a combined measure for those who had PCR and ELISA performed.
  
  Results
  
  In total, 660 HCWs participated in the study, with 450 (68.2%) providing nasopharyngeal swab for PCR and 575 (87.1%) providing a blood specimen for ELISA. Sixty-six percent of participants were females and the median age was 31.5 years (interquartile range 26.2–39.8 years). The overall prevalence of the combined measure was 9.3% (95% CI 3.8%–14.7%). PCR-positive prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 6.6% (95% CI 2.0%–11.1%) and ELISA-positive prevalence was 2.2% (95% CI 0.5%–3.9%).
  
  Conclusions
  
  SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among HCWs was similar to a population-based estimate (10.6%) during a period of community transmission in Zambia. Public health measures such as establishing COVID-19 treatment centers before the first cases, screening for COVID-19 symptoms among patients accessing health facilities, infection prevention and control trainings, and targeted distribution of personal protective equipment based on exposure risk might have prevented increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission among Zambian HCWs.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Coronavirus Infections COVID-19 Health Personnel SARS-CoV-2
• Source:
  Clin Infect Dis. 2021;
• Pubmed ID:
  33784382
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8083617
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Zambia
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:e2216f809b361464e28ffa978230d313aff5441f88cf0d9bb5c37ceee665d931
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/107340/cdc_107340_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 820.71 KB ]