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      Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies among eye care workers in South India

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          Abstract

          Purpose

          Health care workers are at higher risk of acquiring the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This study aims to understand the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody among the eye care workers in South India.

          Methods

          The participants included eye care workers from the nine eye care centres. All the participants were interviewed with a questionnaire to obtain essential information about socio-demographics, past contact with COVID-19 patients and additional information as recommended by Indian Council of Medical Research, India. Serum samples were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies by ELISA.

          Results

          A total of 1313 workers were included and 207 (15.8%) were positive for the SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody. The seropositivity was higher in the moderate risk group (19.5%) followed by low (18.6%) and high risk (13.7%) groups. The seropositivity was significantly higher among i) day scholars compared to hostellers (OR - 2.22, 1.56 to 3.15, P ​< ​0.0001), ii) individuals with history of flu-like illness (4.57, 3.08–6.78, P ​< ​0.001) or who were symptomatic or in contact with COVID 19 positive cases (2.2, 1.02–4.75, P – 0.043) and iii) individuals with history of systemic illness (2.11, 1.39–3.21, P ​< ​0.001). Individuals (11.97%) who had no history of contact or any illness were also seropositive.

          Conclusions

          The effectiveness of the protective measures taken against COVID infection was evident from the lower percentage of seropositivity in the high risk group. The study highlighted the need to create awareness among individuals to follow strict safety measures even in non-work hours and also in social circles.

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          Most cited references19

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          Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Icelandic Population

          Abstract Background During the current worldwide pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) was first diagnosed in Iceland at the end of February. However, data are limited on how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, enters and spreads in a population. Methods We targeted testing to persons living in Iceland who were at high risk for infection (mainly those who were symptomatic, had recently traveled to high-risk countries, or had contact with infected persons). We also carried out population screening using two strategies: issuing an open invitation to 10,797 persons and sending random invitations to 2283 persons. We sequenced SARS-CoV-2 from 643 samples. Results As of April 4, a total of 1221 of 9199 persons (13.3%) who were recruited for targeted testing had positive results for infection with SARS-CoV-2. Of those tested in the general population, 87 (0.8%) in the open-invitation screening and 13 (0.6%) in the random-population screening tested positive for the virus. In total, 6% of the population was screened. Most persons in the targeted-testing group who received positive tests early in the study had recently traveled internationally, in contrast to those who tested positive later in the study. Children under 10 years of age were less likely to receive a positive result than were persons 10 years of age or older, with percentages of 6.7% and 13.7%, respectively, for targeted testing; in the population screening, no child under 10 years of age had a positive result, as compared with 0.8% of those 10 years of age or older. Fewer females than males received positive results both in targeted testing (11.0% vs. 16.7%) and in population screening (0.6% vs. 0.9%). The haplotypes of the sequenced SARS-CoV-2 viruses were diverse and changed over time. The percentage of infected participants that was determined through population screening remained stable for the 20-day duration of screening. Conclusions In a population-based study in Iceland, children under 10 years of age and females had a lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection than adolescents or adults and males. The proportion of infected persons identified through population screening did not change substantially during the screening period, which was consistent with a beneficial effect of containment efforts. (Funded by deCODE Genetics–Amgen.)
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            Rapid Decay of Anti–SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Persons with Mild Covid-19

            To the Editor: A recent article suggested the rapid decay of anti–SARS-CoV-2 IgG in early infection, 1 but the rate was not described in detail. We evaluated persons who had recovered from Covid-19 and referred themselves to our institution for observational research. Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants, with approval by the institutional review board. Blood samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect anti–SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain IgG. 2 The ELISA was further modified to precisely quantify serum anti–receptor-binding domain activity in terms of equivalence to the concentration of a control anti–receptor-binding domain monoclonal IgG (CR3022, Creative Biolabs). Infection had been confirmed by polymerase-chain-reaction assay in 30 of the 34 participants. The other 4 participants had had symptoms compatible with Covid-19 and had cohabitated with persons who were known to have Covid-19 but were not tested because of mild illness and the limited availability of testing. Most of the participants had mild illness; 2 received low-flow supplemental oxygen and leronlimab (a CCR5 antagonist), but they did not receive remdesivir. There were 20 women and 14 men. The mean age was 43 years (range, 21 to 68) (see the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this letter at NEJM.org). A total of 31 of the 34 participants had two serial measurements of IgG levels, and the remaining 3 participants had three serial measurements. The first measurement was obtained at a mean of 37 days after the onset of symptoms (range, 18 to 65), and the last measurement was obtained at a mean of 86 days after the onset of symptoms (range, 44 to 119). The initial mean IgG level was 3.48 log10 ng per milliliter (range, 2.52 to 4.41). On the basis of a linear regression model that included the participants’ age and sex, the days from symptom onset to the first measurement, and the first log10 antibody level, the estimated mean change (slope) was −0.0083 log10 ng per milliliter per day (range, −0.0352 to 0.0062), which corresponds to a half-life of approximately 36 days over the observation period (Figure 1A). The 95% confidence interval for the slope was −0.0115 to −0.0050 log10 ng per milliliter per day (half-life, 26 to 60 days) (Figure 1B). The protective role of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is unknown, but these antibodies are usually a reasonable correlate of antiviral immunity, and anti–receptor-binding domain antibody levels correspond to plasma viral neutralizing activity. Given that early antibody decay after acute viral antigenic exposure is approximately exponential, 3 we found antibody loss that was quicker than that reported for SARS-CoV-1, 4,5 and our findings were more consistent with those of Long et al. 1 Our findings raise concern that humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 may not be long lasting in persons with mild illness, who compose the majority of persons with Covid-19. It is difficult to extrapolate beyond our observation period of approximately 90 days because it is likely that the decay will decelerate. 3 Still, the results call for caution regarding antibody-based “immunity passports,” herd immunity, and perhaps vaccine durability, especially in light of short-lived immunity against common human coronaviruses. Further studies will be needed to define a quantitative protection threshold and rate of decline of antiviral antibodies beyond 90 days.
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              Diabetes in COVID-19: Prevalence, pathophysiology, prognosis and practical considerations

              Background and aims High prevalence of diabetes makes it an important comorbidity in patients with COVID-19. We sought to review and analyze the data regarding the association between diabetes and COVID-19, pathophysiology of the disease in diabetes and management of patients with diabetes who develop COVID-19 infection. Methods PubMed database and Google Scholar were searched using the key terms ‘COVID-19’, ‘SARS-CoV-2’, ‘diabetes’, ‘antidiabetic therapy’ up to April 2, 2020. Full texts of the retrieved articles were accessed. Results There is evidence of increased incidence and severity of COVID-19 in patients with diabetes. COVID-19 could have effect on the pathophysiology of diabetes. Blood glucose control is important not only for patients who are infected with COVID-19, but also for those without the disease. Innovations like telemedicine are useful to treat patients with diabetes in today’s times.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Indian J Med Microbiol
                Indian J Med Microbiol
                Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology
                Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists. Published by Elsevier B.V.
                0255-0857
                1998-3646
                10 July 2021
                10 July 2021
                Affiliations
                [a ]Department of Ocular Microbiology, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India
                [b ]Department of Immunology and Stem Cell Biology, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Madurai, India
                [c ]Department of Biostatistics, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India
                [d ]Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, India
                Author notes
                []Corresponding author. Department of Ocular Microbiology, Aravind Eye Hospital, No-1 Anna nagar, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India.
                [∗∗ ]Corresponding author.
                Article
                S0255-0857(21)04165-7
                10.1016/j.ijmmb.2021.06.014
                8270789
                34253410
                fd121586-4d2f-4426-a312-2301eafc5120
                © 2021 Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

                Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre - including this research content - immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

                History
                : 9 March 2021
                : 20 May 2021
                : 30 June 2021
                Categories
                Original Research Article

                elisa,eye care workers,health care workers,igg antibody,sars-cov-2,seroprevalence

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