ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey was conducted after the Omicron surge in Jamaica using 1,540 samples collected during March - May 2022 from persons attending antenatal, STI and non-communicable diseases clinics in Kingston, Jamaica. SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (RBD) and/or nucleocapsid IgG antibodies were detected for 88.4% of the study population, with 77.0% showing evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of persons previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and/or with COVID-19 vaccination, 9.6% were negative for spike RBD IgG, most of which were unvaccinated previously infected persons. Amongst unvaccinated previously infected people, age was associated with testing spike RBD IgG negative. When considering all samples, median spike RBD IgG levels were 131.6 BAU/mL for unvaccinated persons with serological evidence of past infection, 90.3 BAU/mL for vaccinated persons without serological evidence of past infection, and 896.1 BAU/mL for vaccinated persons with serological evidence of past infection. Our study of the first reported SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey in Jamaica shows extensive SARS-CoV-2 population immunity, identifies a substantial portion of the population lacking spike RBD IgG, and provides additional evidence for increasing COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Jamaica.
Subject(s)
Hallucinations , COVID-19ABSTRACT
The Caribbean region is lacking an assessment of the antibody response and side effects experienced after AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination (AZD1222). We examined SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG levels and reported side effects in a Jamaican population after AZD1222 vaccination. Median RBD IgG levels for persons without evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were 43.1 bIU/mL after 3-7 weeks post first dose, rising to 100.1 bIU/mL 3-7 weeks post second dose, and falling 46.9 bIU/mL 16-22 weeks post second dose. The median RBD IgG level 2-8 weeks after symptom onset for unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 infected persons of all disease severities was 411.6 bIU/mL. Common AZD1222 side effects after first dose were injection site pain, headache and chills. Most persons reported no side effects after second dose. AZD1222 is widely used across the English-speaking Caribbean and the study provides evidence for its continued safe and effective use in vaccination programs.
Subject(s)
Pain , Headache , Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome , COVID-19ABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in an antenatal population in Kingston, Jamaica was assessed for September-November 2020 in a repeated cross-sectional study using the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay. After adjusting for test performance, seroprevalence was 6.9% for September, 16.9% for October, and 24.0% for November. Of the 37 pregnant women testing SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive, only 3 were symptomatic. One symptomatic woman testing SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive had multiple co-morbidities and succumbed to COVID-19 pneumonia. Up to January 31, 2021, 8 women identified as SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive delivered, all without complications. Comparison of test adjusted seroprevalence data with cumulative PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases within the Kingston Metropolitan Area indicated that as many as 44.4 times more people were infected with SARS-CoV-2 than identified with PCR testing. These findings provide the first evidence for the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Jamaica and will inform future SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pneumonia , Severe Acute Respiratory SyndromeABSTRACT
The performance of the Roche Elecsys(R) Anti-SARS-CoV-2, Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG, Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 IgA, Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA, and Trillium IgG/IgM rapid assays was evaluated in Jamaica, the largest country of the English-speaking Caribbean. Diagnostic sensitivities of the assays were assessed by testing serum samples from SARS-CoV-2 PCR-confirmed persons. Serum samples collected [≥]14 days after onset of symptoms, or [≥]14 days after an initial SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive test for asymptomatics, showed diagnostic sensitivities ranging from 67.9-75.0% when including all possible disease severities and increased to 90.0-95.0% when examining those with moderate to critical disease. Grouping moderate to critical disease showed a significant association with a SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive result for all assays. Diagnostic specificity, assessed by testing serum samples collected during 2018-2019 from healthy persons and from persons with antibodies to a wide range of viral infections, ranged from 96.7-100.0%. For all assays examined, SARS-CoV-2 real-time PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values of the initial nasopharyngeal swab sample testing positive were significantly different for samples testing antibody positive versus negative. These data from a predominantly African descent Caribbean population shows comparable diagnostic sensitivities and specificities for all testing platforms assessed and limited utility of these tests for persons with asymptomatic and mild infections.