Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated factors in the adult population of Belgium: a general population cohort study between March 2021 and April 2022

Abstract Background This study assessed seroprevalence trends of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Belgian adult population between March 2021 and April 2022, and explored factors associated with seropositivity and seroreversion among the vaccinated and unvaccinated population. Methods A prospective longitudinal surveillance study was conducted within a random sample of the general population (18 + years) in Belgium, selected from the national register through a multistage sampling design. Participants provided a saliva sample and completed a survey questionnaire on three occasions: at baseline and... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Van der Heyden, Johan
Leclercq, Victoria
Duysburgh, Els
Cornelissen, Laura
Desombere, Isabelle
Roukaerts, Inge
Gisle, Lydia
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2024
Reihe/Periodikum: Archives of Public Health ; volume 82, issue 1 ; ISSN 2049-3258
Verlag/Hrsg.: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-27385371
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13690-024-01298-1

Abstract Background This study assessed seroprevalence trends of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Belgian adult population between March 2021 and April 2022, and explored factors associated with seropositivity and seroreversion among the vaccinated and unvaccinated population. Methods A prospective longitudinal surveillance study was conducted within a random sample of the general population (18 + years) in Belgium, selected from the national register through a multistage sampling design. Participants provided a saliva sample and completed a survey questionnaire on three occasions: at baseline and in two follow-up waves. Outcome variables included (1) seropositivity, defined as the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, assessed with a semi-quantitative measure of anti-RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) IgG ELISA and (2) seroreversion, defined as passing from a positive to a negative antibody test between two measurements. Trends in SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence were assessed using binary logistic regression with contrasts applying post-stratification. Potential determinants of seropositivity were assessed through multilevel logistic regressions. Results In total 6,178 valid observations were obtained from 2,768 individuals. SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence increased from 25.1% in the beginning of the study period to 92.3% at the end. Among the vaccinated population, factors significantly associated with higher seropositivity rates were being younger, having a bachelor diploma, living with others, having had a vaccine in the last 3 months and having received a nucleic-acid vaccine or a combination. Lower seropositivity rates were observed among vaccinated people with a neurological disease and transplant patients. Factors significantly associated with higher seropositivity rates among the unvaccinated population were having non-O blood type and being non-smoker. Among vaccinated people, the seroreversion rate was much lower (0.3%) in those who had received their latest vaccine in the last 3 months compared to those who had ...