Incidence and Durability of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Patients with Cancer and Health Care Workers following the First Wave of the Pandemic.

Catherine Lai,Arnold L Potosky,Ernest W Richards,Tania Lobo,Andre Goy,Robert H Christenson,Kristen Wright,Lisa Boyle,Michael B Atkins,Palka Anand,Bassem R Haddad,Colleen Mcguire,Jaeil Ahn,Liren Qian

doi:10.1155/2022/8798306

Abstract

Background Patients with cancer and health care workers (HCW) are at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There are limited data regarding the rate of symptomatic versus asymptomatic infection and subsequent seropositivity in both populations. Methods We performed a prospective study of patients and HCW across two institutions during the first wave of the pandemic to analyze the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, the extent of associated symptoms, and durability of serologic response. Results In 1,953 persons (733 patients and 1,220 HCW), overall seropositivity rates for 3.1% patients (95% CI 2.0–4.7) and 3.7% HCW (95% CI 2.7–4.9, p=0.520), were similar. Each institutions' seropositivity rates were numerically higher in HCW than patients. Non-Hispanic Whites and Asians had lower antibody rates (2.8%, 95% CI 2.0–3.8 and 3.3%, 95% CI 1.2–7.0) compared to Hispanics (6.9%, 95% CI 3.4–12.4) and non-Hispanic Blacks (5.9%, 95% CI 3.3–9.7), p < 0.001. Among persons with a positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody, 87% of patients and 56% of HCW did not recall having had a fever. Among HCW, administrative and technical personnel were most likely to be seropositive. The rate of persistent seropositivity at 3 months was similar between patients and HCW and was not influenced by the reporting of fever, cancer type, or therapy. Conclusion These data suggest that patients are not at higher risk for febrile SARS-CoV-2 infections or more transient immunity than HCWs. Furthermore, racial differences and lack of association with the extent of HCW contact with COVID-19 patients suggest that community rather than hospital virus exposure was a source of many infections.

Highlights

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Allied health providers consisted of nurse practitioners and physicians assistants; administrative staff were health care workers (HCW) who worked at the front desk of clinics or in a supportive capacity in nonclinical areas, and techs included but were not limited to those directly involved in hospital operations, for example, patient transport, radiology, phlebotomy, and/or food services. e survey collected information about sociodemographics, symptoms of COVID-19 (initially defined as reporting a fever greater than 100.4 F (38.0 C)), testing history for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and other medical conditions and, for HCW only, employment characteristics and the extent of exposure to patients with COVID-19
Seropositivity Rates. e total number of subjects included in the analysis was 1,953 with 3.5% having a positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody test (Table 1). e rate of infection was higher at Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH)/JTCC (8.9%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 6.6–11.8) than at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH)/Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) (1.6%, 95% CI 1.0–2.4, p < 0.001), as the prevalence of virus during the first phase of the pandemic was considerably higher in Northern New Jersey than in Washington, DC

Summary

Introduction

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Erefore, we hypothesized that patients with cancer would have more severe SARSCoV-2 infections and less durable antibody responses than HCW at the same institution. Patients with cancer and health care workers (HCW) are at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We performed a prospective study of patients and HCW across two institutions during the first wave of the pandemic to analyze the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, the extent of associated symptoms, and durability of serologic response. Ese data suggest that patients are not at higher risk for febrile SARS-CoV-2 infections or more transient immunity than HCWs. racial differences and lack of association with the extent of HCW contact with COVID-19 patients suggest that community rather than hospital virus exposure was a source of many infections

Methods

Results

Conclusion