Insights from a Pan India Sero-Epidemiological survey (Phenome-India Cohort) for SARS-CoV2

To understand the spread of SARS-CoV2, in August and September 2020, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India), conducted a sero-survey across its constituent laboratories and centers across India. Of 10,427 volunteers, 1058 (10.14%) tested positive for SARS CoV2 anti-nucleocapsid (anti-NC) antibodies; 95% of which had surrogate neutralization activity. Three-fourth of these recalled no symptoms. Repeat serology tests at 3 (n=607) and 6 (n=175) months showed stable anti-NC antibodies but declining neutralization activity. Local sero-positivity was higher in densely populated cities and was inversely correlated with a 30 day change in regional test positivity rates (TPR). Regional seropositivity above 10% was associated with declining TPR. Personal factors associated with higher odds of sero-positivity were high-exposure work (Odds Ratio, 95% CI, p value; 2 ∙23, 1∙92–2∙59,<0.0001), use of public transport (1 ∙79, 1∙43–2∙24,<0.0001), not smoking (1 ∙52, 1∙16–1∙99, 0∙0257), non-vegetarian diet (1∙67, 1∙41–1∙99,<0.0001), and B blood group (1 ∙36,1∙15-1∙61, 0∙001).
Source: eLife - Category: Biomedical Science Tags: Medicine Source Type: research