Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Oct 9, 2024
Open Peer Review Period: Oct 10, 2024 - Dec 5, 2024
Date Accepted: Jun 18, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Prevalence Across Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers During The COVID-19 Pandemic in Yemen: A Cross-Sectional Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges to healthcare centers across Yemen. The lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines and limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) greatly increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among healthcare workers (HCWs).
Objective:
This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and associated risk factors among unvaccinated HCWs in Ibb, Yemen.
Methods:
Blood samples, occupational information, and clinical data were collected from 396 unvaccinated HCWs actively providing healthcare services between July 2022 and January 2023. SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence was determined using a lateral flow immunoassay.
Results:
Of the 396 HCWs tested, 268 (67.7%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with no significant difference in seropositivity between genders. Key risk factors included occupation and workplace. Nurses (OR, 1.895; 95% CI: 1.100–3.264; P=.021), physician assistants (OR, 8.211; 95% CI: 1.040–64.794; P =.046), and those working in hospitals (OR, 2.769; 95% CI: 1.593–4.813; P<.001) had an elevated risk of infection. Eighty-two percent of seropositive HCWs reported COVID-19 related symptoms within the last 6 months (OR, 3.822; 95% CI: 2.399–6.087; P<.001), the majority being fever (71.2%), headache (65.3), cough (60.4%), or loss of taste or smell (57.8%).
Conclusions:
Of the 396 HCWs tested, 268 (67.7%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with no significant difference in seropositivity between genders. Key risk factors included occupation and workplace. Nurses (OR, 1.895; 95% CI: 1.100–3.264; P=.021), physician assistants (OR, 8.211; 95% CI: 1.040–64.794; P =.046), and those working in hospitals (OR, 2.769; 95% CI: 1.593–4.813; P<.001) had an elevated risk of infection. Eighty-two percent of seropositive HCWs reported COVID-19 related symptoms within the last 6 months (OR, 3.822; 95% CI: 2.399–6.087; P<.001), the majority being fever (71.2%), headache (65.3), cough (60.4%), or loss of taste or smell (57.8%).
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Copyright
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