SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence rates among Egyptian blood donors around the third wave: Cross-sectional study

Nermeen Eldesoukey; Taghrid Gaafar; Azza Aboul Enein; Iman Eyada; Sahar Khirat; Asmaa ElShahawy; Nehal Diaa; Ilham Youssry

doi:10.1002/hsr2.634

SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence rates among Egyptian blood donors around the third wave: Cross-sectional study

Health Sci Rep. 2022 May 12;5(3):e634. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.634. eCollection 2022 May.

Authors

Nermeen Eldesoukey¹, Taghrid Gaafar¹, Azza Aboul Enein¹, Iman Eyada², Sahar Khirat¹, Asmaa ElShahawy¹, Nehal Diaa¹, Ilham Youssry³

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Pathology Department Cairo University Cairo Egypt.
² Pediatric Department Cairo University Cairo Egypt.
³ Hematology & BMT Unit, Pediatrics Department Cairo University Cairo Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Seroprevalence studies may provide a more representative situation of the disease burden and population-level immunity in a country.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies among asymptomatic blood donors attending the Cairo University blood bank services at various points in time around the third wave.

Methods: This cross-section study included 3058 eligible blood donors, representing a demographically and socially heterogeneous healthy population and categorized as: Group 1, 954 donors in the period from March 20 to 30/2021; Group 2, 990 donors in the period from June 3 to 10/2021. These two groups were tested for IgG against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen (NC) to detect qualitative reactivity. Group 3, 1114 donors in the period from July 20 to 30/2021 were tested by the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay for the quantitative detection of IgG antibodies, including neutralizing antibodies (antispike antibodies).

Results: Donors' age ranged between 18 and 59 (mean 33.9 ± 9) years. There was no significant correlation between seroprevalence and gender, area of residence, ABO or Rh blood types, and occupation or education. Antibody prevalence was found to be 13.2% in Group 1, 19.2% in Group 2 (overall 16.2%), and 66% in Group 3. There were only 49 included cases vaccinated against COVID-19.

Conclusion: We concluded that the significant increasing trend in seroprevalence rates during the third wave, March, June, and July, in Egypt, reflects a high cumulative incidence of seroconversion that mirrored the epidemic curve in its rise, fall, and nadir.

Keywords: Egyptian blood donors; SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody; seroprevalence; third‐wave COVID infection.