@article{3102149,
    title = "SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers of a Swiss tertiary care centre at the end of the first wave: A cross-sectional study",
    author = "Meylan, S. and Dafni, U. and Lamoth, F. and Tsourti, Z. and Lobritz, M.A. and Regina, J. and Bressin, P. and Senn, L. and Grandbastien, B. and Andre, C. and Fenwick, C. and D'Acremont, V. and Croxatto, A. and Guilleret, I. and Greub, G. and Manuel, O. and Calandra, T. and Pantaleo, G. and Lazor-Blanchet, C.",
    journal = "BMJ Open Ophthalmology",
    year = "2021",
    volume = "11",
    number = "7",
    publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",
    doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049232",
    keywords = "SARS-CoV-2 antibody, adult;  aerosol generating procedure;  anosmia;  Article;  coronavirus disease 2019;  cross-sectional study;  disease marker;  disinfection;  dysgeusia;  emergency ward;  epidemiological monitoring;  female;  fever;  government;  health care personnel;  hospital administrator;  human;  infection risk;  intensive care unit;  laryngoscopy;  major clinical study;  male;  medical student;  medical technology;  myalgia;  nasopharyngeal swab;  nonhuman;  noninvasive ventilation;  nursing assistant;  nursing staff;  occupational exposure;  overall response rate;  physician;  prevalence;  protective glasses;  questionnaire;  resuscitation;  risk factor;  sensitivity and specificity;  seroconversion;  seroprevalence;  Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2;  social worker;  sore throat;  Switzerland;  symptomatology;  tertiary care center;  traffic and transport;  virus transmission;  waste management;  epidemiology;  health care personnel;  seroepidemiology;  tertiary care center, COVID-19;  Cross-Sectional Studies;  Health Personnel;  Humans;  SARS-CoV-2;  Seroepidemiologic Studies;  Switzerland;  Tertiary Care Centers",
    abstract = "Objective To assess the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in healthcare workers (HCWs) using seroprevalence as a surrogate marker of infection in our tertiary care centre according to exposure. Design Seroprevalence cross-sectional study. Setting Single centre at the end of the first COVID-19 wave in Lausanne, Switzerland. Participants 1874 of 4074 responders randomly selected (46% response rate), stratified by work category among the 13 474 (13.9%) HCWs. Main outcome measures Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 serostatus paired with a questionnaire of SARS-CoV-2 acquisition risk factors internal and external to the workplace. Results The overall SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rate among HCWs was 10.0% (95% CI 8.7% to 11.5%). HCWs with daily patient contact did not experience increased rates of seropositivity relative to those without (10.3% vs 9.6%, respectively, p=0.64). HCWs with direct contact with patients with COVID-19 or working in COVID-19 units did not experience increased seropositivity rates relative to their counterparts (10.4% vs 9.8%, p=0.69 and 10.6% vs 9.9%, p=0.69, respectively). However, specific locations of contact with patients irrespective of COVID-19 status - in patient rooms or reception areas - did correlate with increased rates of seropositivity (11.9% vs 7.5%, p=0.019 and 14.3% vs 9.2%, p=0.025, respectively). In contrast, HCWs with a suspected or proven SARS-CoV-2-infected household contact had significantly higher seropositivity rates than those without such contacts (19.0% vs 8.7%, p<0.001 and 42.1% vs 9.4%, p<0.001, respectively). Finally, consistent use of a mask on public transportation correlated with decreased seroprevalence (5.3% for mask users vs 11.2% for intermittent or no mask use, p=0.030). Conclusions The overall seroprevalence was 10% without significant differences in seroprevalence between HCWs exposed to patients with COVID-19 and HCWs not exposed. This suggests that, once fully in place, protective measures limited SARS-CoV-2 occupational acquisition within the hospital environment. SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion among HCWs was associated primarily with community risk factors, particularly household transmission. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ."
}