TY - JOUR
T1 - High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Burkina-Faso, Ghana and Madagascar in 2021
T2 - a population-based study
AU - Struck, Nicole S.
AU - Lorenz, Eva
AU - Deschermeier, Christina
AU - Eibach, Daniel
AU - Kettenbeil, Jenny
AU - Loag, Wibke
AU - Brieger, Steven A.
AU - Ginsbach, Anna M.
AU - Obirikorang, Christian
AU - Maiga-Ascofare, Oumou
AU - Sarkodie, Yaw Adu
AU - Boham, Eric Ebenezer Amprofi
AU - Adu, Evans Asamoah
AU - Asare, Gracelyn
AU - Amoako-Adusei, Amos
AU - Yawson, Alfred
AU - Boakye, Alexander Owusu
AU - Deke, James
AU - Almoustapha, Nana Safi
AU - Adu-Amoah, Louis
AU - Duah, Ibrahim Kwaku
AU - Ouedraogo, Thierry A.
AU - Boudo, Valentin
AU - Rushton, Ben
AU - Ehmen, Christa
AU - Fusco, Daniela
AU - Gunga, Leonard
AU - Benke, Dominik
AU - Höppner, Yannick
AU - Rasolojaona, Zaraniaina Tahiry
AU - Rasamoelina, Tahinamandranto
AU - Rakotoarivelo, Rivo A.
AU - Rakotozandrindrainy, Raphael
AU - Coulibaly, Boubacar
AU - Sié, Ali
AU - Awuah, Anthony Afum Adjei
AU - Amuasi, John H.
AU - Souares, Aurélia
AU - May, Jürgen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic affects the entire world population and has serious health, economic and social consequences. Assessing the prevalence of COVID-19 through population-based serological surveys is essential to monitor the progression of the epidemic, especially in African countries where the extent of SARS-CoV-2 spread remains unclear. Methods: A two-stage cluster population-based SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence survey was conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso and in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar and Kumasi, Ghana between February and June 2021. IgG seropositivity was determined in 2,163 households with a specificity improved SARS-CoV-2 Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. Population seroprevalence was evaluated using a Bayesian logistic regression model that accounted for test performance and age, sex and neighbourhood of the participants. Results: Seroprevalence adjusted for test performance and population characteristics were 55.7% [95% Credible Interval (CrI) 49·0; 62·8] in Bobo-Dioulasso, 37·4% [95% CrI 31·3; 43·5] in Ouagadougou, 41·5% [95% CrI 36·5; 47·2] in Fianarantsoa, and 41·2% [95% CrI 34·5; 49·0] in Kumasi. Within the study population, less than 6% of participants performed a test for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection since the onset of the pandemic. Conclusions: High exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was found in the surveyed regions albeit below the herd immunity threshold and with a low rate of previous testing for acute infections. Despite the high seroprevalence in our study population, the duration of protection from naturally acquired immunity remains unclear and new virus variants continue to emerge. This highlights the importance of vaccine deployment and continued preventive measures to protect the population at risk.
AB - Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic affects the entire world population and has serious health, economic and social consequences. Assessing the prevalence of COVID-19 through population-based serological surveys is essential to monitor the progression of the epidemic, especially in African countries where the extent of SARS-CoV-2 spread remains unclear. Methods: A two-stage cluster population-based SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence survey was conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso and in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar and Kumasi, Ghana between February and June 2021. IgG seropositivity was determined in 2,163 households with a specificity improved SARS-CoV-2 Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. Population seroprevalence was evaluated using a Bayesian logistic regression model that accounted for test performance and age, sex and neighbourhood of the participants. Results: Seroprevalence adjusted for test performance and population characteristics were 55.7% [95% Credible Interval (CrI) 49·0; 62·8] in Bobo-Dioulasso, 37·4% [95% CrI 31·3; 43·5] in Ouagadougou, 41·5% [95% CrI 36·5; 47·2] in Fianarantsoa, and 41·2% [95% CrI 34·5; 49·0] in Kumasi. Within the study population, less than 6% of participants performed a test for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection since the onset of the pandemic. Conclusions: High exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was found in the surveyed regions albeit below the herd immunity threshold and with a low rate of previous testing for acute infections. Despite the high seroprevalence in our study population, the duration of protection from naturally acquired immunity remains unclear and new virus variants continue to emerge. This highlights the importance of vaccine deployment and continued preventive measures to protect the population at risk.
KW - Bayesian model
KW - Population-based
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Seroprevalence
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137249194&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-022-13918-y
DO - 10.1186/s12889-022-13918-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 36064368
AN - SCOPUS:85137249194
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 22
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 1676
ER -