Seroprevalence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Among Health Care Workers from Three Pandemic Hospitals of Turkey

ALKURT, G.; MURT, A.; AYDIN, Z.; TATLI, O.; AGAOGLU, N. B.; IRVEM, A.; AYDIN, M.; KARAALI, R.; GUNES, M.; YESILYURT, B.; TURKEZ, H.; MARDINOGLU, A.; DOGANAY, M.; BASINOGLU, F.; SEYAHI, N.; DINLER DOGANAY, G.; DOGANAY, L.

COVID-19 is a global threat with an increasing number of infections. Research on IgG seroprevalence among health care workers (HCWs) is needed to re-evaluate health policies. This study was performed in three pandemic hospitals in Istanbul and Kocaeli. Different clusters of HCWs were screened for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Seropositivity rate among participants was evaluated by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. We recruited 813 non-infected and 119 PCR-confirmed infected HCWs. Of the previously undiagnosed HCWs, 22 (2.7%) were seropositive. Seropositivity rates were highest for cleaning staff (6%), physicians (4%), nurses (2.2%) and radiology technicians (1%). Non-pandemic clinic (6.4%) and ICU (4.3%) had the highest prevalence. HCWs in high risk group had similar seropositivity rate with no risk group (2.9 vs 3.6 p=0.7), indicating the efficient implementation of protection measures in the hospitals in Turkey. These findings might lead to the re-evaluation of infection control and transmission dynamics in hospitals.