Search for other papers by Darija Knežević in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Miroslav Petković in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ljiljana Božić in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Nataša Miljuš in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Biljana Mijović in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jela Aćimović in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jelena Djaković-Dević in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dragana Puhalo-Sladoje in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Srdjan Mašić in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dragan Spaić in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Nevena Todorović in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Nataša Pilipović-Broćeta in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Verica Petrović in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dejan Bokonjić in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Miloš P. Stojiljković in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ranko Škrbić in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCW) in primary healthcare centres in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, are on the first combat line with COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among HCW at the primary healthcare centres and to analyse the risk exposure to COVID-19, clinical signs and vaccination status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCW at the selected primary healthcare centres between 19 March and 30 April 2021. Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 1,023 HCW (mean age 45 years; 71% female) were included in the study. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 69.5% of all participants. There was a significant difference in seropositivity among primary healthcare centres from different geographical regions. As many as 432 (42%) of all participants had confirmed COVID-19 symptoms before the study and, 84.8% of them were seropositive. This study showed that 702 primary HCW were vaccinated with any of these vaccines: Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Pfizer/Biontech. High titre of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was found amongst those who received one (92.6%) or both (97.2%) doses of vaccines. In this study, we report high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among HCW in primary healthcare in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina during the third pandemic wave.
-
1.
Nguyen LH , Drew DA , Graham MS , Joshi AD , Guo CG , Ma W , et al. Risk of COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers and the general community: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health 2020; 5(9): e475–e483. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30164-X.
-
2.
McCauley L , Hayes R . Taking responsibility for front-line healthcare workers. Lancet Public Health 2020; 5: e461–e462. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30179-1.
-
3.
Sahu AK , Amrithanand VT , Mathew R , Aggarwal P , Nayer J , Bhoi S . COVID-19 in health care workers - a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Emerg Med 2020; 38: 1727–1731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2020.05.113.
-
4.
Galanis P , Vraka I , Fragkou D , Bilali A , Kaitelidou D . Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated factors in healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hosp Infect 2021; 108: 120–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.11.008.
-
5.
Kayı İ , Madran B , Keske Ş , Karanfil Ö , Arribas JR , Psheniсhnaya N , et al. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among health care workers before the era of vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Microbiol Infect 2021; S1198-743X(21): 00284–00286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2021.05.036.
-
6.
Zhao J , Yuan Q , Wang H , Liu W , Liao X , Su Y , et al. Antibody responses to SARS-CoV- 2 in patients of novel coronavirus disease 2019. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 71: 2027–2034. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa344.
-
7.
Oran DP , Topol EJ . Prevalence of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection: a narrative review. Ann Intern Med 2020; 173: 362–367. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-3012.
-
8.
Hossain A , Nasrullah SM , Tasnim Z , Hasan MK , Hasan MM . Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies among health care workers before vaccine administration in Europe, the USA and East Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2021; 33: 100770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100770.
-
9.
Freeman D , Sheng LB , Yu LM , Freeman J , Chadwick A , Vaccari C , et al. Effects of different types of written vaccination information on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK (OCEANS-III): a single-blind, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Public Health 2021; 6: e416–e427. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00096-7.
-
10.
Angel Y , Spitzer A , Henig O , Saiag E , Sprecher E , Padova H , et al. Association between vaccination with BNT162b2 and incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections among health care workers. JAMA 2021; 325: 2457–2465. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.7152.
-
11.
Lustig Y , Sapir E , Regev-Yochay G , Cohen C , Fluss R , Olmer L , et al. BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine and correlates of humoral immune responses and dynamics: a prospective, single-centre, longitudinal cohort study in health-care workers. Lancet Respir Med 2021; 2. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00220-4.
-
12.
Moey PKS , Ang ATW , Ee AGL , Ng DCC , Ng MCW , Teo SSH , et al. What are the measures taken to prevent COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers? A retrospective study in a cluster of primary care clinics in Singapore. BMJ Open 2021; 11: e049190. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049190.
-
13.
Bobrovitz N , Arora RK , Cao C , Boucher E , Liu M , Donnici C , et al. Global seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16, e0252617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252617.
-
14.
Institut za javno zdravstvo Republike Srpske . COVID-19: epidemiološka situacija u Republici Srpskoj. Available from: https://www.phi.rs.ba/pdf/sadrzaj/COVID%2019%20%20Epidemioloska%2019%2003%202021.pdf.
-
15.
Randolph HE , Barreiro LB . Herd immunity: understanding COVID-19. Immunity 2020; 52: 737–741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2020.04.012.
-
16.
Pouquet M , Decarreaux D , Prévot-Monsacré P , Hervé C , Werner A , Grosgogeat B , et al. A. Nationwide seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies among four groups of primary health-care workers and their household contacts 6 Months after the initiation of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in France: SeroPRIM study protocol. Pathogens 2021; 10: 911. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10070911.
-
17.
Fukuda H , Seyama K , Ito K , Ai T , Nojiri S , Hori S , et al. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthcare workers at a frontline hospital in Tokyo. Sci Rep 2021; 11: 8380. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87688-9.
-
18.
Grant JJ , Wilmore SMS , McCann NS , Donnelly O , Lai RWL , Kinsella MJ , et al. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers at a London NHS Trust. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021; 42: 212–214. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.402.
-
19.
Rudberg AS , Havervall S , Månberg A , Jernbom FA , Aguilera K , Ng H , et al. SARS-CoV-2 exposure, symptoms and seroprevalence in healthcare workers in Sweden. Nat Commun 2020; 11: 5064. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18848-0.
-
20.
Poletti P , Tirani M , Cereda D , Guzzetta G , Trentini F , Marziano V , et al. Seroprevalence of and risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4: e2115699. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.15699.
-
21.
Barallat J , Fernández-Rivas G , Quirant-Sánchez B , González V , Doladé M , Martinez-Caceres E , et al. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG specific antibodies among healthcare workers in the Northern Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain, after the first pandemic wave. PLoS One 2020; 15: e0244348. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244348.
-
22.
Varona JF , Madurga R , Peñalver F , Abarca E , Almirall C , Cruz M , et al. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in over 6000 healthcare workers in Spain. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 50: 400–409. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa277.
-
23.
Galanis P , Kaitelidou D , Prezerakos P , Kotsiopoulos I , Siskou O , Konstantakopoulou O , et al. Low seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers after the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in Greece. Public Health 2021; 198: 223–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.07.029.
-
24.
Airoldi C , Patrucco F , Milano F , Alessi D , Sarro A , Rossi MA , Cena T , et al. High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers in a North Italy hospital. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18: 3343. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073343.
-
25.
Lidström AK , Sund F , Albinsson B , Lindbäck J , Westman G . Work at inpatient care units is associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; a cross-sectional study of 8679 healthcare workers in Sweden. Ups J Med Sci 2020; 125: 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/03009734.2020.1793039.
-
26.
Eyre DW , Lumley SF , O’Donnell D , Campbell M , Sims E , Lawson E , et al. Differential occupational risks to healthcare workers from SARS-CoV-2 observed during a prospective observational study. Elife 2020; 9: e60675. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60675.
-
27.
Chou R , Dana T , Buckley DI , Selph S , Fu R , Totten AM . Epidemiology of and risk factors for coronavirus infection in health care workers: a living rapid review. Ann Intern Med 2020; 173: 120–136. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-1632.
-
28.
Rashid-Abdi M , Krifors A , Sälléber A , Eriksson J , Månsson E . Low rate of COVID-19 seroconversion in health-care workers at a Department of Infectious Diseases in Sweden during the later phase of the first wave; a prospective longitudinal seroepidemiological study. Infect Dis (Lond) 2021; 53: 169–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2020.1849787.
-
29.
Iversen K , Bundgaard H , Hasselbalch RB , Kristensen JH , Nielsen PB , Pries-Heje M , et al. Risk of COVID-19 in health-care workers in Denmark: an observational cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis 2020; 20: 1401–1408. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30589-2.
-
30.
Schmitz D , Vos M , Stolmeijer R , Lameijer H , Schönberger T , Gaakeer MI , et al. Association between personal protective equipment and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in emergency department healthcare workers. Eur J Emerg Med 2021;28: 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1097/MEJ.0000000000000766.
-
31.
Lai X , Wang M , Qin C , Tan L , Ran L , Chen D , et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) infection among health care workers and implications for prevention measures in a tertiary hospital in Wuhan, China. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3: e209666. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.9666.
-
32.
Kluytmans-van den Bergh MFQ , Buiting AGM , Pas SD , Bentvelsen RG , van den Bijllaardt W , van Oudheusden AJG , et al. Prevalence and clinical presentation of health care workers with symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 in 2 Dutch hospitals during an early phase of the pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3: e209673. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.9673.
-
33.
Cheng VC , Wong S , Yuen K . Estimating coronavirus disease 2019 infection risk in health care workers. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3: e209687. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.
-
34.
Lan FY , Filler R , Mathew S , Buley J , Iliaki E , Bruno-Murtha LA , et al. COVID-19 symptoms predictive of healthcare workers’ SARS-CoV-2 PCR results. PLoS One 2020; 15: e0235460. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235460.
-
35.
Cordova E , Bacelar B , Nieto F , Garibaldi F , Aguirre V , Machuca M , et al. SARS-CoV-2 IgG response in symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19-infected healthcare workers. Occup Med (Lond) 2021; 19: kqab061. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqab061.
-
36.
Lackermair K , William F , Grzanna N , Lehmann E , Fichtner S , Kucher HB , et al. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 in primary care health care workers assessed by antibody testing. Fam Pract 2021; 38: 76–79. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmaa078.
-
37.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Interim U.S. Guidance for risk assessment and public health management of healthcare personnel with potential exposure in a healthcare setting to patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19); 2020. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html.
-
38.
Grant JJ , Wilmore SMS , McCann NS , Donnelly O , Lai RWL , Kinsella MJ , et al. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers at a London NHS Trust. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021; 42: 212–214. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.402.
-
39.
Bayram A , Demirbakan H , Günel KP , Erdoğan M , Koçer I . Quantitation of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein after two doses of CoronaVac in healthcare workers. J Med Virol 2021; 93: 5560–5567. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27098.
-
40.
Lumley SF , Rodger G , Constantinides B , Sanderson N , Chau KK , Street TL , et al. An observational cohort study on the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and B.1.1.7 variant infection in healthcare workers by antibody and vaccination status. Clin Infect Dis 2021: ciab608. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab608.
-
41.
Rossi AH , Ojeda DS , Varese A , Sanchez L , Gonzalez L , Ledesma MM , Mazzitelli I , et al. Sputnik V vaccine elicits seroconversion and neutralizing capacity to SARS-CoV-2 after a single dose. Cell Rep Med 2021; 2: 100359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100359.
-
42.
Kontou E , Ranellou K , Zoulas D , Bletsa A , Rompola E , Piperaki ET , et al. Antibody response following a two-dose mRNA vaccination regimen, in health care workers of a tertiary hospital in Athens, Greece. J Pers Med 2021; 11: 576. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11060576.
-
43.
Paris C , Perrin S , Hamonic S , Bourget B , Roué C , Brassard O , et al. Effectiveness of mRNA-BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccines against COVID-19 in healthcare workers: an observational study using surveillance data. Clin Microbiol Infect 2021; 13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2021.06.043.
-
44.
Xia S , Zhang Y , Wang Y , Wang H , Yang Y , Gao G , et al. Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, BBIBP-CorV: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 trial. Lancet Infect Dis 2021; 21: 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30831-8.
-
45.
Mortgat L , Verdonck K , Hutse V , Thomas I , Barbezange C , Heyndrickx L , et al. Prevalence and incidence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in Belgian hospitals before vaccination: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open 2021; 11: e050824. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050824.
-
46.
Benenson S , Oster Y , Cohen MJ , Nir-Paz R . BNT162b2 mRNA covid-19 vaccine effectiveness among health care workers. N Engl J Med 2021; 384: 1775–1777. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2101951.
-
47.
Oran DP , Topol EJ . Prevalence of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Ann Intern Med 2020; 173: 362–367. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-3012.
-
48.
Damluji AA , Wei S , Bruce SA , Haymond A , Petricoin EF , Liotta L , et al. Seropositivity of COVID-19 among asymptomatic healthcare workers: a multi-site prospective cohort study from Northern Virginia, United States. Lancet Reg Health Am 2021; 29: 100030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2021.100030.
Editorial Office:
Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt.
Budafoki út 187-187, A/3, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
Editorial Correspondence:
Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica
Institute of Medical Microbiology
Semmelweis University
P.O. Box 370
H-1445 Budapest, Hungary
Phone: + 36 1 459 1500 ext. 56101
Fax: (36 1) 210 2959
E-mail: amih@med.semmelweis-univ.hu
Indexing and Abstracting Services:
- Biological Abstracts
- BIOSIS Previews
- CAB Abstracts
- CABELLS Journalytics
- Chemical Abstracts
- Global Health
- Index Medicus
- Index Veterinarius
- Medline
- Referativnyi Zhurnal
- SCOPUS
- Science Citation Index Expanded
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Web of Science | |
| Journal Impact Factor | 1.3 |
| Rank by Impact Factor | Q4 (Immunology) |
| Journal Citation Indicator | 0.31 |
| Scopus | |
| CiteScore | 2.3 |
| CiteScore rank | Q3 (Infectious Diseases) |
| SNIP | 0.389 |
| Scimago | |
| SJR index | 0.308 |
| SJR Q rank | Q3 |
| Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica | |
|---|---|
| Publication Model | Hybrid |
| Submission Fee | none |
| Article Processing Charge | 1100 EUR/article (only for OA publications) |
| Regional discounts on country of the funding agency | World Bank Lower-middle-income economies: 50% World Bank Low-income economies: 100% |
| Further Discounts | Editorial Board / Advisory Board members: 50% Corresponding authors, affiliated to an EISZ member institution subscribing to the journal package of Akadémiai Kiadó: 100% |
| Subscription fee 2025 | Online subsscription: 772 EUR / 848 USD Print + online subscription: 860 EUR / 944 USD |
| Subscription Information | Online subscribers are entitled access to all back issues published by Akadémiai Kiadó for each title for the duration of the subscription, as well as Online First content for the subscribed content. |
| Purchase per Title | Individual articles are sold on the displayed price. |
| Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica | |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Size | A4 |
| Year of Foundation |
1954 |
| Volumes per Year |
1 |
| Issues per Year |
4 |
| Founder | Magyar Tudományos Akadémia |
| Founder's Address |
H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, Széchenyi István tér 9. |
| Publisher | Akadémiai Kiadó |
| Publisher's Address |
H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. |
| Responsible Publisher |
Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó |
| ISSN | 1217-8950 (Print) |
| ISSN | 1588-2640 (Online) |
Monthly Content Usage
| Abstract Views | Full Text Views | PDF Downloads | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | 165 | 2 | 1 |
| Nov 2024 | 58 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 2024 | 52 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2025 | 94 | 1 | 2 |
| Feb 2025 | 97 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Copyright Akadémiai Kiadó AKJournals is the trademark of Akadémiai Kiadó's journal publishing business branch.