#PAGE_PARAMS# #ADS_HEAD_SCRIPTS# #MICRODATA#

Exploratory drilling: how to set up, carry out, and evaluate a seroprevalence study


Authors: Zuzana Krátká 1,6;  Tomáš Fürst 2,6;  Ondřej Vencálek 2,6;  Věra Kůrková 3;  Eva Šimečková 4;  Jana Fleischmannová 4;  Jan Strojil 5,6;  Martin Kuba 7,8
Authors‘ workplace: Imunologická laboratoř GENNET, s. r. o., Praha 1;  Katedra matematické analýzy a aplikací matematiky PřF UP v Olomouci 2;  Mikrobiologická laboratoř Nemocnice Písek, a. s. 3;  Centrální laboratoř Nemocnice Strakonice, a. s. 4;  Ústav farmakologie LF UP v Olomouci 5;  OIG power, s. r. o., České Budějovice 7;  Krajský úřad Jihočeského kraje, České Budějovice 8;  BIN – Centrum pro bayesovskou inferenci 64
Published in: Čas. Lék. čes. 2020; 159: 217-225
Category: Original Article

Overview

Seroprevalence studies represent a very important tool to find out what fraction of population has already met with the new type of coronavirus (e.g. SARS-CoV-2). Without these data, it is almost impossible for the state authorities to manage the epidemic and adopt rational measures. This article brings the results of a medium-sized seroprevalence study which was carried out in the spring of 2020 in South Bohemia. In the Strakonice and Písek regions, the ELISA method was used to test the prevalence of IgA and IgG antibodies in 2011 subjects, volunteers from general public and selected professions working in areas with a higher exposure to the infection.

The study showed that already in May 2020, 2.9% of inhabitants of the Strakonice region and 1.9% of inhabitants of the Písek region had antibodies against the coronavirus. These numbers imply that for each PCR positive person, there were at least fifty others who had probably already undergone the infection.

The article points out three types of problems that might occur in such a study. First, the study must be planned correctly, and possible outcomes must be pre-assessed. Second, an appropriate test must be selected with known parameters. This enables us to correctly estimate the share of false positive and false negative results. Third, the data must be evaluated in a reasonable way and correct inference must be performed. We offer a set of recommendations how to manage these issues and how to solve problems that inevitably arise in such a large-scale testing.

Keywords:

seroprevalence – Antibodies – SARS-CoV-2 – COVID-19 – IgA – IgG – Czech study


Sources
  1. World Health Organization. WHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard. WHO, 27. 9. 2020. Dostupné na: https://covid19.who.int
  2. Ministerstvo zdravotnictví ČR. COVID-19: Přehled aktuální situace v ČR. Dostupné na: https://onemocneni-aktualne.mzcr.cz/covid-19
  3. Azkur AK, Akdis M, Azkur D et al. Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and mechanisms of immunopathological changes in COVID-19. Allergy 2020 Jul; 75(7): 1564–1581.
  4. Ioannidis JPA. The infection fatality rate of COVID-19 inferred from seroprevalence data. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Dostupné na: www.who.int/bulletin/online_first/BLT.20.265892.pdf
  5. Pollán M, Pérez-Gómez B, Pastor-Barriuso R et al. Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain (ENE-COVID): a nationwide, population-based seroepidemiological study. Lancet 2020; 396: 535–544.
  6. Stringhini S, Wisniak A, Piumatti G et al. Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in Geneva, Switzerland (SEROCoV-POP): a population-based Study. Lancet 2020; 396: 313–319.
  7. Ústav zdravotnických informací a statistiky České republiky. Studie SARS-CoV-2-CZ-Preval. Prezentace z tiskové konference MZ ČR, 6. 5. 2020. Dostupné na: www.mzcr.cz/wp-content/uploads/wepub/19168/41199/Studie%20SARS-CoV-2-CZ-Preval%20-%20prof.%20Dusek.pdf
  8. Streeck H, Schulte B, Kuemmerer B et al. Infection fatality rate of SARS-CoV2 in a super-spreading event in Germany. Nat Commun 2020; 11(1): 5829.
  9. Jerković I, Ljubić T, Bašić Z et al. SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in industry workers in Split-Dalmatia and Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia. J Occup Environ Med 2020 Sep 8, doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002020.
  10. Krähling V, Kern M, Halwe S et al. Epidemiological study to detect active SARS-CoV-2 infections and seropositive persons in a selected cohort of employees in the Frankfurt am Main metropolitan area. medRxiv, 2020 May 25, doi: 10.1101/2020.05.20.20107730.
  11. Kučera R. Srovnání manuálních a automatizovaných metodik stanovení protilátek IgG SARS-CoV-2. 28. severočeská imunologická konference, Ústí nad Labem, 11.‒12. 9. 2020.
  12. Krátká Z, Luxová Š, Malíčková K et al. Testování COVID-19 – co bychom měli mít na paměti. Časopis lékařů českých 2020; 159: 72–77.
  13. Malíčková K, Krátká Z, Luxová Š et al. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in IBD healthcare professionals: are we currently able to provide COVID-free IBD clinics? Scand J Gastroenterol 2020; 55: 917–919.
  14. Ministerstvo zdravotnictví ČR. Strategie testování onemocnění COVID-19 pro sezónu respiračních onemocnění 2020/2021 – Příloha 3 – Průřezové studie protilátkové imunity. Dostupné na: https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Strategie-testov%C3%A1n%C3%AD-COVID-19_def_200929.pdf
  15. Fejt V. COVID-19 v Domově se zvláštním režimem v Břevnici, jaro 2020. Pokus o komplexní pohled na vývoj epidemie v uzavřeném kolektivu. 28. severočeská imunologická konference, Ústí nad Labem, 11.‒12. 9. 2020.
  16. Fischer B, Knabbe C, Vollmer T. SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence in blood donors located in three different federal states, Germany, March to June 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25(28): 2001285.
  17. Percivalle E, Cambiè G, Cassaniti I et al. Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific neutralising antibodies in blood donors from the Lodi Red Zone in Lombardy, Italy, as at 06 April 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25(24): 2001031.
  18. Český statistický úřad. Počet obyvatel v okrese Písek a Strakonice. Dostupné na: www.czso.cz/documents/10180/121739326/1300722001.pdf/3554a4b2-118f-46ae-9105-8764faa1d6eb?version=1.1
  19. Ministerstvo zdravotnictví ČR. Onemocnění aktuálně – Jihočeský kraj: Přehled výskytu laboratorně prokázaného onemocnění COVID‑19 dle KHS podle okresu. Dostupné na: https://onemocneni-aktualne.mzcr.cz/covid-19/kraje/JHC
  20. EUROIMMUN. COVID-19 serology – even more reliable with two-step strategy. Dostupné na: www.coronavirus-diagnostics.com/documents/Indications/Infections/Coronavirus/YI_2606_I_UK_E.pdf
  21. Telemadrid. Lo que debes saber sobre el coronavirus en Madrid (Co byste měli vědět o koronaviru v Madridu). Dostupné na: www.telemadrid.es/noticias/madrid/coronavirus-Covid-19-Madrid-0-2209879017–20200303070509.html
Labels
Addictology Allergology and clinical immunology Angiology Audiology Clinical biochemistry Dermatology & STDs Paediatric gastroenterology Paediatric surgery Paediatric cardiology Paediatric neurology Paediatric ENT Paediatric psychiatry Paediatric rheumatology Diabetology Pharmacy Vascular surgery Pain management Dental Hygienist

Article was published in

Journal of Czech Physicians


Most read in this issue
Topics Journals
Login
Forgotten password

Enter the email address that you registered with. We will send you instructions on how to set a new password.

Login

Don‘t have an account?  Create new account

#ADS_BOTTOM_SCRIPTS#