Temporal trends of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Kenya

Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 25;12(1):3966. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24062-3.

Abstract

Observed SARS-CoV-2 infections and deaths are low in tropical Africa raising questions about the extent of transmission. We measured SARS-CoV-2 IgG by ELISA in 9,922 blood donors across Kenya and adjusted for sampling bias and test performance. By 1st September 2020, 577 COVID-19 deaths were observed nationwide and seroprevalence was 9.1% (95%CI 7.6-10.8%). Seroprevalence in Nairobi was 22.7% (18.0-27.7%). Although most people remained susceptible, SARS-CoV-2 had spread widely in Kenya with apparently low associated mortality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Bayes Theorem
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epidemics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Kenya / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / metabolism
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2