SynthesisClinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases2021
The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among health care workers before the era of vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among oral health care workers with natural seroconversion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Impact of Occupational and Extra-Professional Exposure Across the Different Waves of the Pandemic on the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Healthcare Workers-The ORCHESTRA Project.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Tracking SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in frontline healthcare workers at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic and reliability of serological laboratory interpretation: a prospective cohort study.Virology journal · 2025Article
- SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Prevalence Across Unvaccinated Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Yemen: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2025Article
- Article
- Predictors of seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 among employees at a large urban medical center.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies in Healthcare Personnel in El Salvador Prior to Vaccination Campaigns.Infectious disease reports · 2024Article
- SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence and associated factors among primary healthcare workers in France after the third COVID-19 wave.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- High seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among healthcare workers in Yaoundé, Cameroon after the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic and associated factors.Influenza and other respiratory viruses · 2024Article
- A multi-site cross-sectional study on the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers in Madagascar.PloS one · 2024Article
- Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 among Health Care Workers in North-Eastern Tanzania.The East African health research journal · 2024Article
- Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in Dutch hospitals after the 2020 first wave: a multicentre cross-sectional study with prospective follow-up.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2023Article
- Prevalence and risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses among healthcare workers (June 2020-November 2021).European journal of public health · 2023Observational
- Transmission and Risk Factors of COVID-19 among Health Care Workers.Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine · 2023Review
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and working conditions of nurses and its implications for policies: a cross-sectional study in Slovakia.BMC nursing · 2023Article
- One-Year Follow-Up of Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Anxiety among Health Workers of a French Cancer Center: The PRO-SERO-COV Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Factors associated with receipt of COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among healthcare workers in Albania (February 2021-June 2022): secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2023Article
- Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence over time among pregnant women admitted to delivery units: Suitability for surveillance.PloS one · 2023Article
- Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV patients in Ghana: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Nigeria healthcare worker SARS-CoV-2 serology study: Results from a prospective, longitudinal cohort.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health care workers (HCWs) provides information about the spread of COVID-19 within health care facilities, and the risk groups.
objectivesWe aimed to describe the rate of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and its determinants among HCWs. DATA SOURCES: We used Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost and Cochrane Library. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included the reports of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence with a sample size of minimum 1000 HCWs.
methodsThe study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, no. CRD42021230456). We used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. The keywords were "COVID-19", "SARS-CoV-2", "Coronavirus", "seroprevalence", "health care workers" and "risk factors".
resultsIn total 4329 reports were retrieved, duplications were removed; after filtering according to the title and abstract, 25 studies were selected. Risk of bias was assessed in 25 studies; it was low in 13 studies, medium in four studies, and high in eight studies. In meta-analysis using the random effect model, the weighted average of seroprevalence was calculated as 8% (95% CI 6-10%). The pooled seroprevalence rates of the selected variables that have a rate above the average were male HCWs with 9% (95% CI 7-11%); HCWs from ethnic minorities with 13% (95% CI 9-17%); high exposure 9% (95% CI 6-13%); exposure to the virus outside the health care setting 22% (95% CI 14-32%).
conclusionsOur analysis indicates a SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rate of 8% among studies that included >1000 HCWs for the year 2020, before vaccinations started. The most common risk factors associated with higher seroprevalence rate were ethnicity, male gender and having a higher number of household contacts. Working as a frontline HCW was inconsistent in its association with higher seroprevalence.
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