Seroprevalence and indexes of IgG antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 infection among People Living With HIV, tuberculosis patients and healthcare workers, in Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 can trigger different clinical presentations in distinct population groups, some of which are considered at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Little is known about the susceptibility of certain populations to the infection.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWH) attending a tertiary public hospital in Salvador, Brazil, patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and Hospital's Healthcare Workers (HCW), and to compare their SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels.

Methods: In this observational study we included 2294 participants from June 9, 2020 to August 10, 2021. IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from all participants (275 PLWH, 42 with active tuberculosis and 1977 healthcare workers) were measured. Prevalence of COVID-19 and antibodies indexes were compared across groups.

Results: We detected a higher prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with active tuberculosis (42.9%) than in PLWH (22.5%) or HCW (11.7%). Previously vaccinated participants with a COVID-19 history had median higher IgG antibody indexes (8.2; IQR: 5.5‒10) than those vaccinated who did not have COVID-19 until the time of this study (4.1; IQR: 1.6‒6.2, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Prevalence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher among tuberculosis patients than that found in HCW and PLWH, but antibodies levels were similar across groups.

Keywords: HIV; SARS-CoV-2; Serology; Tuberculosis.