SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Infection Among Health Care Workers

Associated Factors in the Transmission and Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Workers in Hospitals on the Islands of Santiago and São Vicente in Cabo Verde

The present study finds opportunities and justifications, taking into consideration that the nature of professional practice in health needs scientific evidence resulting from systematic and systemic studies to strengthen the basis for the decisions made to have an impact on various levels, from the patient to health management itself. In addition, Cabo Verdean authorities may benefit from new evidence obtained by this study. It intends, in a growing number of health professionals exposed or infected with SARS-CoV-2, in the different health structures of the country, to contribute to substantiate a better perception of the problem and the required solutions. Therefore, assessing the potential risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers will be essential to characterize virus transmission, preventing future infections in them and providing the associated healthcare. Due to the advances and important changes described, questions arise that guide this research and allow us to identify the problem.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; BCG; Health Care Worker
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionaire

Detailed Description

The problem is stated in the following starting questions:

What conditions and factors are associated with infection and non-infection by SARS-CoV-2 among health professionals working in the three hospitals on the islands of Santiago and São Vicente? Which are they (gender, age group, profession, type of contact, etc.)? Where do the infected HCW typically work (sector)? When and how did the infection occur? What is the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody in professionals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and in HCW that thought they were not infected by SARS-CoV-2? How long do anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies last? What is the impact of infection on unplanned absenteeism? Which symptoms and complaints (if any) persists after SARS-CoV-2 infection?

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 400

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Cape Verde
  • Santiago
    • Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde, 379C
      • Universidade de Cabo Verde

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The population of the study is composed of health professionals working in the Hospitals of the islands of Santiago and S. Vicente.

In addition to measuring infection-related exposures, specific SARS-CoV-2 infection-related parameters will also be assessed, including presence and duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies; absenteeism due to infection; and self-reported symptomatology due to SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 infection. All participants be followed up to measure unplanned, infection-related absenteeism, illness-related symptomatology at 3 of for a period of 6 months. At 6 months after enrollement, all participants will also be assessed, including screening of presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (anti-N and anti-S).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a healthcare professional working in one of the hospitals where the study will take place
• Be aged ≥18 years;
• Cases: SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by PCR test and/or Rapid Antigen Test;
• Control: No evidence and/or record of past infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Case: Confirmation of diagnosis test for SARS-CoV-2 without indication of specimen collection date.
• Control: Suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Cohort; All Health Care Worker (HCW) from Hospital in Santiago and S. Vicente islands, Cabo Verde
Control; HCW who report no SARS-CoV-2 infection in the period prior to the interview and/or suspected COVID-19 in the period prior to the interview	Other: Questionaire; A questionnaire will be administered to all participants to evaluate exposures related to infection at the baseline (enrollement) - Baseline questionnaire. A Follow-up questionnaire to all participants will be done after 3 and 6 months. Capillary blood collection, for diagnosis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies by rapid test, will be done at the first interview, for all participants (cases and controls). Collection of peripheral venous blood, for analysis of the presence and duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies (N and S) will be done at the first interview, and after 6 months for all participants (cases and controls).; Other Names: SARS-CoV-2 Serology (POC Test); SARS-CoV-2 Serology (ELISA Test)
Cases; HCW who report positive SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by performing a positive PCR test and/or positive Rapid Antigen Test in the period prior to the interview	Other: Questionaire; A questionnaire will be administered to all participants to evaluate exposures related to infection at the baseline (enrollement) - Baseline questionnaire. A Follow-up questionnaire to all participants will be done after 3 and 6 months. Capillary blood collection, for diagnosis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies by rapid test, will be done at the first interview, for all participants (cases and controls). Collection of peripheral venous blood, for analysis of the presence and duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies (N and S) will be done at the first interview, and after 6 months for all participants (cases and controls).; Other Names: SARS-CoV-2 Serology (POC Test); SARS-CoV-2 Serology (ELISA Test)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Total number of days absent from work due to COVID-19	Absenteeism due to COVID-19 related symptoms	From March 2020 to March 2022
Unplanned Absenteeism	Unplanned absenteeism following SARS-CoV-2 infection	6 months after inclusion
Symptomatology after infection by SARS-CoV-2	If have or not any symptomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection	6 months after inclusion
Presence or absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Acs	Presence or not of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Anti-N and anti-S	6 months after inclusion
Duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Acs	Time of duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Anti-N and anti-S	After infection

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidade de Cabo Verde
• Collaborators: University of Southern Denmark; European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP); Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça; Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University, Lisbon, Portugal; National Institute of Public Health of Cape Verde, Praia, Cape Verde; Bandim Health Project, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Isabel I Araújo, PhD, Universidade de Cabo Verde

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 8, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): January 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 10, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 1, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 7, 2023
• Last Verified: June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; COVID-19
• Other Study ID Numbers: RIA2020ER-3049

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No