Baroncelli Silvia, Galluzzo Clementina Maria, Orlando Stefano, Mphwere Robert, Kavalo Thom, Luhanga Richard, Amici Roberta, Floridia Marco, Andreotti Mauro, Scarcella Paola, Marazzi Maria Cristina, Giuliano Marina
National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
J Clin Virol Plus. 2022 Nov;2(4):100110. doi: 10.1016/j.jcvp.2022.100110. Epub 2022 Sep 16.
Very limited information is available on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in infants in sub-Saharan countries.
In this study, we aimed to determine the rate and the temporal evolution of SARS CoV-2 seropositivity in breastfed Malawian infants.
Blood samples ( = 250) from 158 infants, born to HIV-negative women and women living with HIV, collected from February 2020 to May 2021, were first tested using an Anti-IgG/A/M SARS CoV 2 ELISA assay against trimeric spike protein, and then, if positive, confirmed using a second ELISA assay detecting IgG against Receptor Binding Domain.
The confirmed prevalence of anti-SARS CoV-2 antibodies was 31.0% (95% CI: 23.7%-38.3%) with no significant difference between HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants (29.3% and 37.1% respectively, = 0.410). The presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was not associated with maternal socioeconomic or demographic indices.
Our data underline the wide spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the pediatric population in sub-Saharan Africa. Design of more specific serological tests for African samples and improvements in serosurveillance programs are needed for more rigorous monitoring of the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Africa.
关于撒哈拉以南国家婴儿中新型冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）血清流行率的信息非常有限。
在本研究中，我们旨在确定马拉维母乳喂养婴儿中SARS-CoV-2血清阳性率及其时间演变。
对2020年2月至2021年5月期间从158名婴儿（其母亲为HIV阴性和HIV感染者）采集的250份血样，首先使用针对三聚体刺突蛋白的抗IgG/A/M SARS-CoV-2 ELISA检测进行检测，若呈阳性，则使用检测抗受体结合域IgG的第二种ELISA检测进行确认。
抗SARS-CoV-2抗体的确诊流行率为31.0%（95%CI：23.7%-38.3%），暴露于HIV的婴儿和未暴露于HIV的婴儿之间无显著差异（分别为29.3%和37.1%，P=0.410）。抗SARS-CoV-2 IgG的存在与母亲的社会经济或人口统计学指标无关。
我们的数据强调了SARS-CoV-2感染在撒哈拉以南非洲儿童人群中的广泛传播。需要设计针对非洲样本的更特异性血清学检测方法并改进血清监测项目，以便更严格地监测非洲SARS-CoV-2感染的动态变化。
