Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in the town of Ariano Irpino (Avellino, Campania, Italy): a population-based study.

The Italian municipality of Ariano Irpino (Avellino, Campania, Italy) was locked down by the regional authorities from March until April 2020 after several citizens tested positive for SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A serological mass screening campaign targeting the Ariano Irpino population using the Roche Cobas Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay was organized by the Zoo-Prophylactic Institute of Southern Italy (Portici, Italy) and conducted in cooperation with the Local Health Unit (Azienda Sanitaria Locale - ASL - Avellino, Avellino, Italy), the Department of Public Health of University Federico II (Naples, Italy) and Department of Health Services of Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli-Cotugno and Monaldi Hospital (Naples, Italy) in May 2020. A total of 13,218 asymptomatic individuals were reviewed in this analysis. A total of 738 citizens tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (398 females, 340 males). The overall prevalence in the sample was 5.6% (95% CI: 5.2-6.0). Among seropositive citizens, 101 cases tested positive on RT-PCR (0.76% of the overall population). Among citizens aged 14-18, 18-65 and >65 years, the seroprevalence was equal to 6.1 (95% CI: 4.1-8.7), 5.6 (95% CI: 5.1-6.1) and 4% (95% CI: 3.3-4.8), respectively. In the pediatric cohort (<14 years old), seroprevalence was 13% (95% CI: 10.2-16.2). A serological-based screening strategy could be a cost-effective public health intervention to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

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© 2021 Carlo Buonerba.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Financial & competing interests disclosure C Buonerba is a member of the editorial board of Future Science OA. The authors recognize the following funding: POR FESR CAMPANIA 2014-2020- O.S. 1.3 - AZIONE 1.3.1. DG 10. – PROGETTO “Studio di Sorveglianza Sanitaria del virus SARS-CoV-2 responsabile della pandemia da COVID-19 nella popolazione ad alto rischio o esposta a contatto diretto con pazienti positivi” –CUP C75I20000060002, approved by the Federico II Ethics Committee (n. 141/20) - “GENCOVID – Studio di Sorveglianza Sanitaria del virus SARS-CoV-2 responsabile della pandemia da COVID-19 nella popolazione ad alto rischio o esposta a contatto diretto con pazienti positivi” – Protocollo Studio Clinico Studio SPEM – Covid19 – GENCOVID. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.