Published January 2, 2024 | Version v1
Journal article Open

SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Prevalence in Unvaccinated Children and Change in Antibody Levels Between 2020-2022

Creators

  • 1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
  • 2. Department of Medical Microbiology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye.
  • 3. Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Türkiye.
  • 4. Department of Medical Microbiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Türkiye.
  • 5. Medical Biochemistry Laboratory, Kütahya Tavşanlı Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Kalemli State Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.

Description

Özet

Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (DSÖ) tarafından COVID-19 pandemisinin ilan edilmesinden sonra çeşitli kısıtlamalar uygulamaya konulmuş ve okullarda yüz yüze eğitime ara verilmiştir. Bazı ülkelerde ise pediatrik yaş grubunda COVID-19 aşıları için acil kullanım onayı verilmiştir. Bu çalışmada COVID-19 aşısı yapılmamış çocuklardaki SARS-CoV-2 antikor düzeylerini araştırmak amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmaya Ekim 2020 - Nisan 2022 tarihleri arasında Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Çocuk Hastalıkları kliniklerine farklı semptomlarla başvuran 0-12 yaş, COVID-19 aşısı olmamış, 1.000 çocuk hasta dahil edildi. Bu çocuklara ait serum örneklerinde ELISA yöntemiyle SARS-CoV-2 S total antikor seviyeleri test edildi. Çalışmaya dahil edilen çocuk hastaların 535’i (%53.5) erkek, 465’i (%46.5) kız idi. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S total Ig pozitiflik oranları kız çocuklarda %75.9 ve erkek çocuklarda %78.5 olup, aralarındaki fark istatistik olarak anlamlı değildi (p>0.05). Yıllara göre anti-SARS-CoV-2 S total Ig pozitiflik oranları incelendiğinde 2020 yılında 23 (%43.4), 2021 yılında 183 (%60) ve 2022 yılında 567 hastanın (%88.3) antikor testi pozitif bulundu. Yıllara göre antikor sonuçları arasındaki fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlı idi (p<0.001). Antikor testi pozitif hastaların SARS-CoV-2 antikor seviyelerinin medyan değeri 2020 yılında 46 AU/ml (min 5, max: 214 AU/ml), 2021 yılında 130 AU/ml (min:1, max:250 AU/ml) ve 2022 yılında 250 AU/ml (min:1, max:250 AU/ml) olarak bulundu. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S Ig total pozitif olan hastaların antikor seviyeleri yıllara göre değerlendirildiğinde aralarındaki fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulundu (p<0.05). Çalışmamızda 12 yaş ve altı aşısız çocuklarda SARS-CoV-2 S total antikor pozitiflik oranın %90’lara ulaştığı tespit edildi. Ülkemizde COVID-19 aşısı yapılmamış 12 yaş ve altı çocukların SARS-CoV-2 antikor durumlarının belirlenmesi hem doğal bağışıklık yoluyla immünizasyon hakkında bilgi verecek hem de çocuklar için COVID-19 aşı ihtiyacının belirlenmesi ve planlanmasında etkili olacaktır.

 Abstract

After the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), various restrictions were implemented, and face-to-face education was suspended in schools. In some countries, COVID-19 vaccines emergency use authorization has been granted for the pediatric age group. This study aimed to investigate COVID-19 antibody level in children who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. A total of 1,000 pediatric patients aged 0-12 years, unvaccinated against COVID-19, admitted to Necmettin Erbakan University Medical Faculty Hospital Pediatrics clinics with different symptoms between October 2020 and April 2022 were included in this study. SARS-CoV-2 S total antibody levels were tested by ELISA method from the sera samples of these children. Of the children included in the study, 535 (53.5%) were male and 465 (46.5%) were female. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S total Ig positivity rates were 75.9% in girls and 78.5% in boys and the difference between them was not statistically significant (p>0.05). When the anti-SARS-CoV-2 S total Ig positivity rates of children were evaluated according to years, 23 (43.4%) in 2020, 183 (60%) in 2021, and 567 (88.3%) in 2022 was found positive. The difference between antibody results by years was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). Median value of SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels of patients with positive antibody test in 2020 46 AU/ml (min 5, max: 214 AU/ml), in 2021 130 AU/ml (min:1, max: 250 AU/ml), and in 2022 it was found to be 250 AU/ml (min:1, max: 250 AU/ml). When the antibody levels of patients with anti-SARS-CoV-2 S Ig total positive were evaluated, the difference between years was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). In our study, it was determined that the rate of SARS-CoV-2 S total antibody positivity reached 90% in unvaccinated children aged 12 and younger. Determining the SARS-CoV-2 antibody status of children aged 12 and under who unvaccinated against COVID-19 in our country will both give information about immunization by natural immunity and will be effective in deciding and planning the need for COVID-19 vaccination for children.

Notes

Aşısız Çocuklarda SARS-CoV-2 Antikor Prevalansı ve 2020-2022 Yılları Arasında Antikor Düzeylerindeki Değişim

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