SARS-CoV-2 in eight municipalities of the Colombian tropics: high immunity, clinical and sociodemographic outcomes

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 116; no. 2; pp. 139 - 147
• Main Authors: Garay, Evelin, Serrano-Coll, Héctor, Rivero, Ricardo, Gastelbondo, Bertha, Faccini-Martínez, Álvaro, Berrocal, José, Pérez, Alejandra, Badillo, María, Martínez-Bravo, Caty, Botero, Yesica, Arrieta, Germán, Calderón, Alfonso, Galeano, Ketty, López, Yesica, Miranda, Jorge, Guzmán, Camilo, Contreras, Verónica, Arosemena, Alejandra, Contreras, Héctor, Brango-Tarra, Eimi, Oviedo, Misael, Mattar, Salim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01-02-2022
• Subjects: Antibodies, Viral; Cities - epidemiology; Colombia - epidemiology; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Original; SARS-CoV-2; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Colombia; Cities; asymptomatic infections; social conditions; informal social controls; public health; seroepidemiologic studies; economic conditions
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trab094

Abstract
Background
Serological evaluation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an alternative that allows us to determine the prevalence and dynamics of this infection in populations. The goal of this study was to determine the clinical and sociodemographic dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a region of the Colombian Caribbean.
Methods
Between July and November 2020, a cross-sectional observational study was carried out in Córdoba, located in northeast Colombia in the Caribbean area. Eight municipalities with the largest populations were chosen and 2564 blood samples were taken. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used with the recombinant protein antigen N of SARS-CoV-2. The people included in the study were asked for sociodemographic and clinical data, which were analysed by statistical methods.
Results
A seroprevalence of 40.8% was obtained for SARS-CoV-2 in the Córdoba region. In the bivariate analysis, no differences were observed in seropositivity against SARS-CoV-2 for gender or age range (p>0.05). Higher seropositivity was found in low socio-economic status and symptomatic patients (p<0.0001). A total of 30.7% of the asymptomatic patients were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2, which could be linked to the spread of this infection. In the multivariate analysis, seroconversion was related to poverty and clinical manifestations such as anosmia and ageusia (p<0.05).
Conclusions
The high seropositivity in Córdoba is due to widespread SARS-CoV-2 in this population. The relationship between seropositivity and socio-economic status suggests a higher exposure risk to the virus caused by informal economic activities in low-income groups. Clinical manifestations such as anosmia and ageusia could be clinical predictors of infection by the new emergent coronavirus.