igh SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in persons experiencing homelessness and shelter workers from a day-shelter in Sao Paulo, Brazi

Author(s):Show less -

do Couto, Anahi Chechia ^[1] ; Kmetiuk, Louise Bach ^[1] ; Delai, Ruana Renostro ^[1] ; Drulla Brandao, Ana Perola ^[2] ; Monteiro, Cairo Oliveira ^[3] ; Antoniassi da Silva, Luciana Helena ^[3] ; Soares, Camila ^[3] ; Banari, Alexandre Campos ^[3] ; Bach, Renato van Wilpe ^[4] ; Pettan-Brewer, Christina ^[5] ; dos Santos, Andrea Pires ^[6] ; Sa Guimaraes, Ana Marcia ^[3] ; Leal Oliveira, Danielle Bruna ^[3] ; Durigon, Edison Luiz ^[3] ; Biondo, Alexander Welker ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Univ Parana UFPR, Grad Coll Cellular & Mol Biol, Curitiba, Parana - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Prevent Med, Med Sch FMUSP, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Microbiol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Estadual Ponta Grossa, Dept Med, Ponta Grossa, Parana - Brazil

^[5] Univ Washington, Dept Comparat Med, Seattle, WA 98195 - USA

^[6] Purdue Univ, Coll Vet Med, Dept Comparat Pathobiol, W Lafayette, IN 47907 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases; v. 15, n. 10 OCT 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Brazil presents one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in the world. The initial SARS-CoV-2 epicenter was Sao Paulo city. As of 2019, the homeless population of Sao Paulo city was estimated at 24,344 individuals, the largest national homeless population. The present study aimed to concomitantly assess the molecular and serological prevalence and associated risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a homeless population and related shelter workers from a day-shelter. Serum samples, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs of persons who are homeless and shelter workers collected from August 25(th) to 27(th), 2020 were tested for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA and SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR, respectively. All swab samples tested negative by RT-qPCR. Seropositivity of IgM and IgG was 5/203 (2.5%) and 111/203 (54.7%) in persons who are homeless, and 5/87 (5.7%) and 41/87 (47.1%) in shelter workers, respectively, with no statistical differences between groups. The high seroprevalence found herein indicates early environmental and urban spreading of SARS-CoV-2, associated with sociodemographic and economic vulnerability.</p> Author summary Brazil is one of the world's most social-economically unequal countries, with a rising homeless population potentialized by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, particularly in its largest city, Sao Paulo. While few studies, mostly in high-income countries, have addressed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on homeless populations, none has been carried out in Brazil. Herein, we report a high SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence in a homeless population, with 111/203 (54.7%) seropositive individuals. At the time of the study (August 25(th)- 27(th) 2020), both homeless and social worker populations showed no active SARS-CoV-2 infection, indicating that they were likely exposed sometime within the pandemic's first peak in the city. Our study has also shown significant risk and protective factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection, including that Black shelter workers were at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection when compared with the white shelter workers.</p> (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/07251-2 - Evaluation of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) as model of infection and disease by SARS-CoV-2
• Grantee: Ana Marcia de Sá Guimarães
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/04609-3 - Comparative study of the infection dynamics of species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in human macrophages using RNA-Seq
• Grantee: Alexandre Campos Banari
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)