Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are more frequently exposed to SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. Little is known about healthcare settings outside of hospitals. We studied the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers in outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kathrin Zürcher , Catrina Mugglin , Franziska Suter-Riniker , Peter M. Keller, Matthias Egger , Sandro Müller , Michael Fluri, Matthias Hoffmann , Lukas Fenner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW) 2021-08-01
Series:Swiss Medical Weekly
Online Access:https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/3055
_version_ 1826997133727760384
author Kathrin Zürcher 
Catrina Mugglin 
Franziska Suter-Riniker 
Peter M. Keller
Matthias Egger 
Sandro Müller 
Michael Fluri
Matthias Hoffmann 
Lukas Fenner
author_facet Kathrin Zürcher 
Catrina Mugglin 
Franziska Suter-Riniker 
Peter M. Keller
Matthias Egger 
Sandro Müller 
Michael Fluri
Matthias Hoffmann 
Lukas Fenner
author_sort Kathrin Zürcher 
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are more frequently exposed to SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. Little is known about healthcare settings outside of hospitals. We studied the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers in outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Longitudinal seroprevalence study among healthcare workers with examinations at baseline and 2 months between June and September 2020. The Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG and Liaison/Diasorin SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay were used to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. All participants provided demographic information. We report descriptive statistics and calculated the seroprevalence with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: We included 357 healthcare workers; their median age was 43 years (interquartile range 29–54), and 315 (88.2%) were female. Forty-nine (13.7%) were physicians, 87 (24.4%) practice assistants and 221 (61.9%) nurses. Overall seroprevalence among healthcare workers in outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes was 3.4% (12/357). The 12 seropositive healthcare workers were all nurses (12/221, 5.5%); 11 worked at retirement or nursing homes and one at the hospital's outpatient clinic. Symptoms such as loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath, and fever were more prevalent among seropositive healthcare workers than seronegative healthcare workers. No close contact had detectable antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Seroprevalence among healthcare workers was low, but higher among nursing staff of retirement or nursing homes. Healthcare workers at private practices were able to protect themselves well during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T04:27:41Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f1828c390bd9410b8254bb26753531f7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1424-3997
language English
last_indexed 2025-02-18T09:56:46Z
publishDate 2021-08-01
publisher SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)
record_format Article
series Swiss Medical Weekly
spelling doaj.art-f1828c390bd9410b8254bb26753531f72024-11-02T09:09:06ZengSMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)Swiss Medical Weekly1424-39972021-08-01151333410.4414/SMW.2021.w30021Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss cantonKathrin Zürcher Catrina Mugglin Franziska Suter-Riniker Peter M. KellerMatthias Egger Sandro Müller Michael FluriMatthias Hoffmann Lukas Fenner BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are more frequently exposed to SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. Little is known about healthcare settings outside of hospitals. We studied the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers in outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Longitudinal seroprevalence study among healthcare workers with examinations at baseline and 2 months between June and September 2020. The Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG and Liaison/Diasorin SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay were used to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. All participants provided demographic information. We report descriptive statistics and calculated the seroprevalence with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: We included 357 healthcare workers; their median age was 43 years (interquartile range 29–54), and 315 (88.2%) were female. Forty-nine (13.7%) were physicians, 87 (24.4%) practice assistants and 221 (61.9%) nurses. Overall seroprevalence among healthcare workers in outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes was 3.4% (12/357). The 12 seropositive healthcare workers were all nurses (12/221, 5.5%); 11 worked at retirement or nursing homes and one at the hospital's outpatient clinic. Symptoms such as loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath, and fever were more prevalent among seropositive healthcare workers than seronegative healthcare workers. No close contact had detectable antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Seroprevalence among healthcare workers was low, but higher among nursing staff of retirement or nursing homes. Healthcare workers at private practices were able to protect themselves well during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/3055
spellingShingle Kathrin Zürcher 
Catrina Mugglin 
Franziska Suter-Riniker 
Peter M. Keller
Matthias Egger 
Sandro Müller 
Michael Fluri
Matthias Hoffmann 
Lukas Fenner
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
Swiss Medical Weekly
title Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
title_full Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
title_fullStr Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
title_full_unstemmed Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
title_short Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a Swiss canton
title_sort seroprevalence of sars cov 2 in healthcare workers from outpatient facilities and retirement or nursing homes in a swiss canton
url https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/3055
work_keys_str_mv AT kathrinzurcher seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT catrinamugglin seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT franziskasuterriniker seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT petermkeller seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT matthiasegger seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT sandromuller seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT michaelfluri seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT matthiashoffmann seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton
AT lukasfenner seroprevalenceofsarscov2inhealthcareworkersfromoutpatientfacilitiesandretirementornursinghomesinaswisscanton