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MDPI, Viruses, 9(14), p. 1877, 2022

DOI: 10.3390/v14091877

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Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies in Tyrol, Austria: Updated Analysis Involving 22,607 Blood Donors Covering the Period October 2021 to April 2022

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Because a large proportion of the Austrian population has been infected with SARS-CoV-2 during high incidence periods in winter 2021/2022, up-to-date estimates of seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are required to inform upcoming public health policies. We quantified anti-Spike IgG antibody levels in 22,607 individuals that donated blood between October 2021 and April 2022 across Tyrol, Austria (participation rate: 96.0%). Median age of participants was 45.3 years (IQR: 30.9–55.1); 41.9% were female. From October 2021 to April 2022, seropositivity increased from 84.9% (95% CI: 83.8–86.0%) to 95.8% (94.9–96.4%), and the geometric mean anti-Spike IgG levels among seropositive participants increased from 283 (95% CI: 271–296) to 1437 (1360–1518) BAU/mL. The percentages of participants in categories with undetectable levels and detectable levels at <500, 500–<1000, 1000–<2000, 2000–<3000, and ≥3000 BAU/mL were 15%, 54%, 15%, 10%, 3%, and 3% in October 2021 vs. 4%, 18%, 17%, 18%, 11%, and 32% in April 2022. Of 2711 participants that had repeat measurements taken a median 4.2 months apart, 61.8% moved to a higher, 13.9% to a lower, and 24.4% remained in the same category. Among seropositive participants, antibody levels were 16.8-fold in vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated individuals (95% CI: 14.2–19.9; p-value < 0.001). In conclusion, anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in terms of seropositivity and average antibody levels has increased markedly during the winter 2021/2022 SARS-CoV-2 waves in Tyrol, Austria.