Seroprevalence trends of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated risk factors: a population-based study
DOKPE
Tancredi, StefanoPopulation Health Laboratory, University of Fribourg
Chiolero, Arnaud
ORCID
Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland / School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada / Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Wagner, Cornelia
ORCID
Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
Haller, Moa LinaInstitute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland / Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Chocano-Bedoya, Patricia
ORCID
Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland / Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Ortega, Natalia
ORCID
Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland / Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Rodondi, NicolasInstitute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland / Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Kaufmann, LaurentCantonal Public Health Service of the Canton of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Lorthe, ElsaUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Baysson, Hélène
ORCID
Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland / Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Stringhini, Silvia
ORCID
Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland / Department of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland / University Center for General Medicine and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Michel, Gisela
ORCID
Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
Lüdi, Chantal
ORCID
Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
Harju, Erika
ORCID
Department Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland / Clinical Trial Unit, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland
Frank, IreneClinical Trial Unit, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland
Imboden, Medea
ORCID
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Witzig, Melissa
ORCID
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Keidel, Dirk
ORCID
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Probst-Hensch, Nicole
ORCID
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Amati, Rebecca
ORCID
Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
Albanese, Emiliano
ORCID
Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
Corna, Laurie
ORCID
Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
Crivelli, Luca
ORCID
Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland
Vincentini, JuliaCenter for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Gonseth Nusslé, Semira
ORCID
Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Bochud, MurielleCenter for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
D’Acremont, Valérie
ORCID
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland / Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Kohler, Philipp
ORCID
Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland
Kahlert, Christian R.
ORCID
Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, St Gallen, Switzerland / Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Cusini, AlexiaDivision of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital of Grisons, Chur, Switzerland
Frei, Anja
ORCID
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Puhan, Milo A.
ORCID
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Geigges, MarcoEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Kaufmann, Marco
ORCID
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Fehr, Jan
ORCID
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Cullati, Stéphane
ORCID
Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Route Des Arsenaux 41, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland / Department of Readaptation and Geriatrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
English
Purpose: We aimed to assess the seroprevalence trends of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in several Swiss cantons between May 2020 and September 2021 and investigate risk factors for seropositivity and their changes over time. Methods: We conducted repeated population-based serological studies in different Swiss regions using a common methodology. We defined three study periods: May-October 2020 (period 1, prior to vaccination), November 2020-mid-May 2021 (period 2, first months of the vaccination campaign), and mid-May-September 2021 (period 3, a large share of the population vaccinated). We measured anti-spike IgG. Participants provided information on sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status, and adherence to preventive measures. We estimated seroprevalence with a Bayesian logistic regression model and the association between risk factors and seropositivity with Poisson models. Results: We included 13,291 participants aged 20 and older from 11 Swiss cantons. Seroprevalence was 3.7% (95% CI 2.1-4.9) in period 1, 16.2% (95% CI 14.4-17.5) in period 2, and 72.0% (95% CI 70.3-73.8) in period 3, with regional variations. In period 1, younger age (20-64) was the only factor associated with higher seropositivity. In period 3, being aged ≥ 65 years, with a high income, retired, overweight or obese or with other comorbidities, was associated with higher seropositivity. These associations disappeared after adjusting for vaccination status. Seropositivity was lower in participants with lower adherence to preventive measures, due to a lower vaccination uptake. Conclusions: Seroprevalence sharply increased over time, also thanks to vaccination, with some regional variations. After the vaccination campaign, no differences between subgroups were observed.