Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies in health workers in Sergipe, Brazil

Melo, M. S. d.; BORGES, L. P.; SOUZA, D. R. V.; MARTINS, A. F.; NETO, J. M. D. R.; RIBEIRO, A. A.; SANTOS, A.; INVENCAO, G. B. D.; MATOS, I. L. S.; SANTOS, K. A. D.; SOUZA, N. A. A.; BORGES, P. C.; OLIVEIRA, M. G. B. D.

Background: The exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in Brazil is overloading health systems with overcrowding of hospitals and overflowing intensive care units. Increasing infection rates in health professionals can lead to the collapse of the health system and further worsen the pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of IgM and IgG for SARS-CoV-2 in health workers in Sergipe, Brazil. Methods: The targeted tests involved health professionals working on the front line to combat COVID-19. The samples were collected in the month of June, in six hospital units in the state of Sergipe. Results: 471 health professionals were tested. Of these, 28 workers (5.95%) tested positive for IgM and 64 (13.59%) tested positive for IgG. 9 workers (1.91%) tested positive for IgM and were also positive for IgG. Discussion: Health workers must be monitored constantly, because if they are infected, they can spread the virus to colleagues, hospitalized patients and even family members. Conclusion: Knowing the prevalence of antibodies to the virus in health workers is an important measure of viral spread control. Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Health workers, Immunofluorescence assays.