Occupation, work-related contact and SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid serological status: findings from the Virus Watch prospective cohort study. Issue 11 (21st April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Beale, Sarah; Patel, Parth; Rodger, Alison; Braithwaite, Isobel; Byrne, Thomas; Fong, Wing Lam Erica; Fragaszy, Ellen; Geismar, Cyril; Kovar, Jana; Navaratnam, Annalan; Nguyen, Vincent; Shrotri, Madhumita; Aryee, Anna; Aldridge, Robert; Hayward, Andrew
• Other Names: author non-byline.; Johnson Anne M author non-byline.; Wijlaars Linda author non-byline.; Hardelid Pia author non-byline.; Nastouli Eleni author non-byline.; Spyer Moira author non-byline.; Killingley Ben author non-byline.; Lampos Vasileios author non-byline.; Michie Susan author non-byline.; McKendry Rachel A author non-byline.; Cheng Tao author non-byline.; Liu Yunzhe author non-byline.; Gibbs Jo author non-byline.; Gilson Richard author non-byline.; Cox Ingemar author non-byline.
• Is Part Of: Occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 79:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 729
• Page End: 735
• Publication Date: 2022-04-21
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Occupational Health -- Epidemiology; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 616.980305
• DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2021-107920
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0711

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection varies across occupations; however, investigation into factors underlying differential risk is limited. We aimed to estimate the total effect of occupation on SARS-CoV-2 serological status, whether this is mediated by workplace close contact, and how exposure to poorly ventilated workplaces varied across occupations. Methods: We used data from a subcohort (n=3775) of adults in the UK-based Virus Watch cohort study who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (indicating natural infection). We used logistic decomposition to investigate the relationship between occupation, contact and seropositivity, and logistic regression to investigate exposure to poorly ventilated workplaces. Results: Seropositivity was 17.1% among workers with daily close contact vs 10.0% for those with no work-related close contact. Compared with other professional occupations, healthcare, indoor trade/process/plant, leisure/personal service, and transport/mobile machine workers had elevated adjusted total odds of seropositivity (1.80 (1.03 to 3.14) − 2.46 (1.82 to 3.33)). Work-related contact accounted for a variable part of increased odds across occupations (1.04 (1.01 to 1.08) − 1.23 (1.09 to 1.40)). Occupations with raised odds of infection after accounting for work-related contact also had greater exposure to poorly ventilated workplaces. Conclusions: Work-related close contact appears to contribute to occupational variation in seropositivity. Reducing contact in workplaces is an important COVID-19 control measure.