Characterisation of infection-induced SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence amongst children and adolescents in North Carolina. (3rd April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ahmed, Amina; DeWitt, Michael E.; Dantuluri, Keerti L.; Castri, Paola; Buahin, Asare; LaGarde, William H.; Weintraub, William S.; Rossman, Whitney; Santos, Roberto P.; Gibbs, Michael; Uschner, Diane
• Is Part Of: Epidemiology and infection. Volume 151(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04-03
• Subjects: Adolescent -- child -- COVID-19 -- paediatrics -- SARS-CoV-2 -- seroepidemiologic studies -- serology; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268823000481
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-2688

Abstract

Abstract: Few prospective studies have documented the seropositivity among those children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. From 2 April 2021 to 24 June 2021, we prospectively enrolled children between the ages of 2 and 17 years at three North Carolina healthcare systems. Participants received at least four at-home serological tests detecting the presence of antibodies against, but not differentiating between, the nucleocapsid or spike antigen. A total of 1, 058 participants were enrolled in the study, completing 2, 709 tests between 1 May 2021 and 31 October 2021. Using multilevel regression with poststratification techniques and considering our assay sensitivity and sensitivity, we estimated that the seroprevalence of infection-induced antibodies among unvaccinated children and adolescents aged 2–17 years in North Carolina increased from 15.2% (95% credible interval, CrI 9.0–22.0) in May 2021 to 54.1% (95% CrI 46.7–61.1) by October 2021, indicating an average infection-to-reported-case ratio of 5. A rapid rise in seropositivity was most pronounced in those unvaccinated children aged 12–17 years, based on our estimates. This study underlines the utility of serial, serological testing to inform a broader understanding of the regional immune landscape and spread of infection.