Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with higher seroprevalence rates of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Łodyga, Michał; Maciejewska, Katarzyna; Eder, Piotr; Waszak, Katarzyna; Stawczyk-Eder, Kamila; Michalak, Michał; Dobrowolska, Agnieszka; Wiśniewska-Jarosińska, Maria; Gąsiorowska, Anita; Cicha, Małgorzata; Wierzba, Waldemar; Rydzewska, Grażyna

INTRODUCTION According to the current data, there is no increase in the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. OBJECTIVES The available data are based on symptomatic cases, and do not include the asymptomatic ones. To measure the exact infection rate, we initiated a study that aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 antibodies (SARS-CoV-2) in IBD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eight hundred sixty-four subjects were enrolled in the study, including 432 IBD patients (290 with Crohn's disease and 142 with ulcerative colitis) and 432 non-IBD control group individuals (health professionals) matched for age and gender. Serum samples were prospectively collected, and the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM+IgA antibodies were measured by using the enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) method (Vircell Microbiologists®). RESULTS A significantly higher percentage of positive results of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, both in the IgG and IgM+IgA class, was found in IBD patients (4.6% and 6% respectively, compared to 1.6% and 1.1%; p<0.05). No patient had symptomatic COVID-19. There was no association among patients' age, gender, drugs used for IBD or disease activity, and the occurrence of IgG antibodies. CONCLUSION IBD patients may be at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, defined as the presence of elevated anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, but not of symptomatic and/or severe COVID-19 course, when compared to non-IBD health professionals.