SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study
IntroductionThere is limited information on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among children and adolescents in LMIC school settings. We aimed to assess (1) the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, (2) prevalence of self-reported or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 prior infections and, (3) COVID-19 symptoms (inclu...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| author | Reshmi Dassaye Terusha Chetty Terusha Chetty Brodie Daniels Trisha Ramraj Zakir Gaffoor Elizabeth Spooner Ncengani Mthethwa Duduzile Faith Nsibande Vuyolwethu Magasana Khanya Mohlabi Isaac Singini Nomonde Gwebushe Kubashni Woeber Kubashni Woeber Ameena Goga Ameena Goga |
| author_facet | Reshmi Dassaye Terusha Chetty Terusha Chetty Brodie Daniels Trisha Ramraj Zakir Gaffoor Elizabeth Spooner Ncengani Mthethwa Duduzile Faith Nsibande Vuyolwethu Magasana Khanya Mohlabi Isaac Singini Nomonde Gwebushe Kubashni Woeber Kubashni Woeber Ameena Goga Ameena Goga |
| author_sort | Reshmi Dassaye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThere is limited information on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among children and adolescents in LMIC school settings. We aimed to assess (1) the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, (2) prevalence of self-reported or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 prior infections and, (3) COVID-19 symptoms (including long-COVID) among a cohort of primary school learners, their parents and teachers in a semi-rural school setting approximately 3-years into the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsLearners in grades 1–7 attending two pre-selected schools in close proximity in the Ndwedwe area, iLembe district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their parents and teachers were invited to enroll into the COVID Kids Schools Study (CoKiDSS) – a cross-sectional survey conducted between May–August 2023. All participants provided informed consent, completed a questionnaire and provided a fingerprick of blood for SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing using the COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test. Statistical methods included descriptive analysis, jackknife-estimated seroprevalence and incidence (unadjusted and sensitivity-adjusted), and logistic regression using generalized linear models.ResultsA total of 645 participants (i.e., 456 learners, 147 parents and 42 teachers) were enrolled into the survey. Overall SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence was 78% unadjusted to 81% adjusted with an increasing seropositivity trend, from learners to teachers (76% unadjusted to 79% adjusted in learners, 79% unadjusted to 82% adjusted in parents and 93% unadjusted to 97% adjusted in teachers). About 2.6% of learners tested IgM seropositive. Interestingly, 17% of the participants, including 20% learners, tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. While only 16 participants (2.5% - 2 learners, 10 parents, and four teachers) self-reported a prior confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of these 2 learners (100%), eight parents (80%) and 4 teachers (100%) reported COVID-19 like symptoms that persisted for ≥28-days.ConclusionWe reported high SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teacher approximately 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic which may be attributed to the snowball effect of multiple waves of infection in South Africa. However, only a small proportion of participants self-reported prior COVID-19 infection. This may be due to (1) recall bias and participants’ perception of low susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19, (2) limited access to SARS-CoV-2 testing, and/or (3) a high prevalence of asymptomatic infections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5325c5ecfcc443db97b066bcad64bef9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-5325c5ecfcc443db97b066bcad64bef92025-08-20T03:48:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-05-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15489451548945SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional studyReshmi Dassaye0Terusha Chetty1Terusha Chetty2Brodie Daniels3Trisha Ramraj4Zakir Gaffoor5Elizabeth Spooner6Ncengani Mthethwa7Duduzile Faith Nsibande8Vuyolwethu Magasana9Khanya Mohlabi10Isaac Singini11Nomonde Gwebushe12Kubashni Woeber13Kubashni Woeber14Ameena Goga15Ameena Goga16HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaDiscipline of Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaBiostatistics Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaBiostatistics Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaGrants, Innovation and Product Development Unit, SAMRC, Tygerberg, South AfricaHIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South AfricaDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South AfricaIntroductionThere is limited information on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among children and adolescents in LMIC school settings. We aimed to assess (1) the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, (2) prevalence of self-reported or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 prior infections and, (3) COVID-19 symptoms (including long-COVID) among a cohort of primary school learners, their parents and teachers in a semi-rural school setting approximately 3-years into the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsLearners in grades 1–7 attending two pre-selected schools in close proximity in the Ndwedwe area, iLembe district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their parents and teachers were invited to enroll into the COVID Kids Schools Study (CoKiDSS) – a cross-sectional survey conducted between May–August 2023. All participants provided informed consent, completed a questionnaire and provided a fingerprick of blood for SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing using the COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test. Statistical methods included descriptive analysis, jackknife-estimated seroprevalence and incidence (unadjusted and sensitivity-adjusted), and logistic regression using generalized linear models.ResultsA total of 645 participants (i.e., 456 learners, 147 parents and 42 teachers) were enrolled into the survey. Overall SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence was 78% unadjusted to 81% adjusted with an increasing seropositivity trend, from learners to teachers (76% unadjusted to 79% adjusted in learners, 79% unadjusted to 82% adjusted in parents and 93% unadjusted to 97% adjusted in teachers). About 2.6% of learners tested IgM seropositive. Interestingly, 17% of the participants, including 20% learners, tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. While only 16 participants (2.5% - 2 learners, 10 parents, and four teachers) self-reported a prior confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of these 2 learners (100%), eight parents (80%) and 4 teachers (100%) reported COVID-19 like symptoms that persisted for ≥28-days.ConclusionWe reported high SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teacher approximately 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic which may be attributed to the snowball effect of multiple waves of infection in South Africa. However, only a small proportion of participants self-reported prior COVID-19 infection. This may be due to (1) recall bias and participants’ perception of low susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19, (2) limited access to SARS-CoV-2 testing, and/or (3) a high prevalence of asymptomatic infections.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1548945/fullCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2learnersseroprevalencelong COVID |
| spellingShingle | Reshmi Dassaye Terusha Chetty Terusha Chetty Brodie Daniels Trisha Ramraj Zakir Gaffoor Elizabeth Spooner Ncengani Mthethwa Duduzile Faith Nsibande Vuyolwethu Magasana Khanya Mohlabi Isaac Singini Nomonde Gwebushe Kubashni Woeber Kubashni Woeber Ameena Goga Ameena Goga SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study Frontiers in Public Health COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 learners seroprevalence long COVID |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1–7, their parents and teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 seroprevalence among learners in grades 1 7 their parents and teachers in kwazulu natal south africa a cross sectional study |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 learners seroprevalence long COVID |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1548945/full |
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