Antibody response to SARS-COV-2 within healthcare workers: a single-center study in Kazakhstan

The first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 outbreak was reported in December 2019, and the virus has rapidly spread worldwide. The antibody response in infected patients remains largely unknown, and the clinical value of antibody testing has not been fully demonstrated. In the period from the end of June to July in Kazakhstan, there was a sharp increase in the incidence.
Present study aimed to evaluate the incidence rate and the development of immune response among healthcare workers during the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic in Kazakhstan.
The prospective study was carried out on the basis of the Syzganov National Scientific Center of Surgery in the period from July 2020 to August 2020. The project involved 248 people.
In total, there were 50 men and 198 women under study, aged 21 to 80 years, with the average age of men being 43.3 ± 0.2 years, women - 37.4 ± 0.3 years. The total percentage of antibody detection was 11.7% (29 participants). The largest percentage of the development of an immune response was among junior medical personnel IgG was detected in 10 (4%)Immunoglobulin M (IgM) in 1 (0.4%), while among the middle and senior medical personnel IgG and IgM was 7 (2.8%) and 1 (0.4%), respectively. Antibodies were not detected among paraclinical and technical personnel.
Of the 29 seropositive results, IgG was detected in 24, IgM in 3, and IgG + IgM in 2, respectively.
The presence of immune response among medical personnel, a significant percentage of infection was in clinical personnel compared to paraclinical and technical personnel. The majority of subjects with a seropositive result had an asymptomatic course.