SynthesisBMJ global health2022
SARS-CoV-2 infection in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of standardised seroprevalence studies, from January 2020 to December 2021.
Synthesis in BMJ global health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 120 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
120 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthy blood donors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- A framework for seroepidemiologic investigations in future pandemics: insights from an evaluation of WHO's Unity Studies initiative.Health research policy and systems · 2023Pooled it
- Assessing the burden of COVID-19 in developing countries: systematic review, meta-analysis and public policy implications.BMJ global health · 2022Pooled it
- Post-Hoc Analysis of Potential Correlates of Protection of a Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Extracellular Domain Vaccine Formulated with Advax-CpG55.2-Adjuvant.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Trial
- Challenges and Adaptations in COVID-19 Seroprevalence Surveys: Insights from Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Life Course Malaria Exposure and SARS-CoV-2 Seroepidemiology in Ugandan Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study Nested in a Birth Cohort.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2026Article
- Psychiatric symptoms of long COVID among adults: observational case-control study in Johannesburg, South Africa.BJPsych open · 2026Article
- High exposure of pregnant women to SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 waves in Senegal.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Profile of COVID-19 cases during four waves of the pandemic from May 2020 to March 2022 in the Haut-Ogooué region in Gabon.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Assessing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in African households from the reanalysis of serosurveys.American journal of epidemiology · 2026Article
- DETECTION OF SARS-COV-2 IN MULTIPLE CLINICAL SPECIMENS: A PILOT PREVALENCE STUDY FROM NORTHEAST NIGERIA.Annals of Ibadan postgraduate medicine · 2026Article
- SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in unvaccinated medical students, Bamako, Mali: a cross-sectional study by hospital exposure level.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of iChroma serological test in high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence setting in Gabon.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- A comparative analysis of infection and mortality in reassessing africa's COVID-19 dynamic using time-varying tests.Communications medicine · 2026Article
- Determinants of long-term SARS-CoV-2 immune responses in asymptomatic-to-moderate COVID-19 patients in sub-Saharan Africa.BMC medicine · 2026Article
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- A narrative review of heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes and vaccine efficacy: strategizing pandemic preparedness in Africa.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Serological responses to SARS-CoV-2 in urban and rural Ghana: Antibody waning and implications for long-term population immunity.PloS one · 2026Article
- SARS-CoV-2 and neutralizing antibody dynamics at a remote village in Kenya before widespread COVID-19 vaccine rollout.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
60 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
24 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionEstimating COVID-19 cumulative incidence in Africa remains problematic due to challenges in contact tracing, routine surveillance systems and laboratory testing capacities and strategies. We undertook a meta-analysis of population-based seroprevalence studies to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Africa to inform evidence-based decision making on public health and social measures (PHSM) and vaccine strategy.
methodsWe searched for seroprevalence studies conducted in Africa published 1 January 2020-30 December 2021 in Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Europe PMC (preprints), grey literature, media releases and early results from WHO Unity studies. All studies were screened, extracted, assessed for risk of bias and evaluated for alignment with the WHO Unity seroprevalence protocol. We conducted descriptive analyses of seroprevalence and meta-analysed seroprevalence differences by demographic groups, place and time. We estimated the extent of undetected infections by comparing seroprevalence and cumulative incidence of confirmed cases reported to WHO. PROSPERO: CRD42020183634.
resultsWe identified 56 full texts or early results, reporting 153 distinct seroprevalence studies in Africa. Of these, 97 (63%) were low/moderate risk of bias studies. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rose from 3.0% (95% CI 1.0% to 9.2%) in April-June 2020 to 65.1% (95% CI 56.3% to 73.0%) in July-September 2021. The ratios of seroprevalence from infection to cumulative incidence of confirmed cases was large (overall: 100:1, ranging from 18:1 to 954:1) and steady over time. Seroprevalence was highly heterogeneous both within countries-urban versus rural (lower seroprevalence for rural geographic areas), children versus adults (children aged 0-9 years had the lowest seroprevalence)-and between countries and African subregions.
conclusionWe report high seroprevalence in Africa suggesting greater population exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and potential protection against COVID-19 severe disease than indicated by surveillance data. As seroprevalence was heterogeneous, targeted PHSM and vaccination strategies need to be tailored to local epidemiological situations.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.