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COVID-19 Seroprevalence among Healthcare Workers of a Large COVID-19 Hospital in Rome Reveals Strengths and Limits of Two Different Serological Tests

Author

Listed:
  • Giuseppe Vetrugno

    (Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Health Care Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Daniele Ignazio La Milia

    (Hospital Health Management, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Floriana D’Ambrosio

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Marcello Di Pumpo

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Roberta Pastorino

    (Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Stefania Boccia

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Rosalba Ricci

    (Department of Laboratory and Infectivological Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Fabio De-Giorgio

    (Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Health Care Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Michela Cicconi

    (Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Federica Foti

    (Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Domenico Pascucci

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesco Castrini

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Elettra Carini

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Andrea Cambieri

    (Hospital Health Management, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Maria Elena D’Alfonso

    (Hospital Health Management, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Gennaro Capalbo

    (Hospital Health Management, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Massimo Fantoni

    (Department of Laboratory and Infectivological Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Health Care Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Umberto Moscato

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Domenico Staiti

    (Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Occupational Health Section, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesco Maria De Simone

    (Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Filippo Berloco

    (Hospital Health Management, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Gianfranco Damiani

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Maurizio Zega

    (Director of Nursing Service Technician and Rehabilitation Administration (S.I.T.R.A.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Paola Cattani

    (Department of Laboratory and Infectivological Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Brunella Posteraro

    (Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensive and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Maurizio Sanguinetti

    (Department of Laboratory and Infectivological Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensive and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Patrizia Laurenti

    (Section of Hygiene, University Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health—Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Healthcare workers are at the forefront against COVID-19, worldwide. Since Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli (FPG) IRCCS was enlisted as a COVID-19 hospital, the healthcare workers deployed to COVID-19 wards were separated from those with limited/no exposure, whereas the administrative staff were designated to work from home. Between 4 June and 3 July 2020, an investigation was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies among the employees of the FPG using point-of-care (POC) and venous blood tests. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were determined with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction on nasal/oropharyngeal swabs as the diagnostic gold standard. The participants enrolled amounted to 4777. Seroprevalence was 3.66% using the POC test and 1.19% using the venous blood test, with a significant difference ( p < 0.05). The POC test sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 63.64% (95% confidence interval (CI): 62.20% to 65.04%) and 96.64% (95% CI: 96.05% to 97.13%), while those of the venous blood test were, respectively, 78.79% (95% CI: 77.58% to 79.94%) and 99.36% (95% CI: 99.07% to 99.55%). Among the low-risk populations, the POC test’s predictive values were 58.33% (positive) and 98.23% (negative), whereas those of the venous blood test were 92.86% (positive) and 98.53% (negative). According to our study, these serological tests cannot be a valid alternative to diagnose COVID-19 infection in progress.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Vetrugno & Daniele Ignazio La Milia & Floriana D’Ambrosio & Marcello Di Pumpo & Roberta Pastorino & Stefania Boccia & Rosalba Ricci & Fabio De-Giorgio & Michela Cicconi & Federica Foti & Dome, 2021. "COVID-19 Seroprevalence among Healthcare Workers of a Large COVID-19 Hospital in Rome Reveals Strengths and Limits of Two Different Serological Tests," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2650-:d:511699
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mario Cesare Nurchis & Domenico Pascucci & Martina Sapienza & Leonardo Villani & Floriana D’Ambrosio & Francesco Castrini & Maria Lucia Specchia & Patrizia Laurenti & Gianfranco Damiani, 2020. "Impact of the Burden of COVID-19 in Italy: Results of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and Productivity Loss," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-12, June.
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