Seroreactivity to SARS-CoV-2 in individuals attending a university campus in Bogota Colombia

ABSTRACT

Most community-specific serological surveys for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies have been performed in healthcare workers and institutions. In this study, IgG antibodies specific to the virus were evaluated in individuals working at a university campus in Bogota, Colombia. The aim of this work was to determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in those attending the campus during city lockdown. A total of 237 individuals, including 93 women and 144 men were evaluated using chemiluminescent detection of IgG anti N-viral protein between November and December 2020. There were 32 positives individuals corresponding to a seroprevalence of 13.5% (10 women and 22 men) and mostly asymptomatic (68.75%) and three cluster of seropositive individuals were identified. Only 13 of the seropositive individuals had previous positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR performed in average 91 days before serological test. Seropositive individuals did not come from boroughs having higher percentages of SARS-CoV-2 cases in the city. This survey was carried out after the first peak of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the city, and before the preparedness to reopening the campus for students in 2021, demonstrating a low seroprevalence in high percentage of asymptomatic. These results will help to evaluate some of the strategies stablished to control virus spread in the campus or other similar communities.