Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys

Seif Salem Al-Abri; Adil Al-Wahaibi; Hanan Al-Kindi; Padmamohan J. Kurup; Ali Al-Maqbali; Zayid Al-Mayahi; Mohammed Hamed Al-Tobi; Salim Habbash Al-Katheri; Sultan Albusaidi; Mahmood Humaid Al-Sukaiti; Ahmed Yar Mohammed Al Balushi; Iyad Omer Abdelgadir; Nawal Al-Shehi; Essam Morkos; Amal Al-Maani; Bader Al-Rawahi; Fatma Alyaquobi; Abdullah Alqayoudhi; Khalid Al-Harthy; Sulien Al-Khalili; Azza Al-Rashdi; Intisar Al-Shukri; Thamra S. Al Ghafri; Fatma Al-Hashmi; Saeed Mussalam Al Jassasi; Nasser Alshaqsi; Nilanjan Mitra; Humaid Suhail Al Aamry; Parag Shah; Hanan Hassan Al Marbouai; Amany Hamed Al Araimi; Ismail Mohammed Kair; Asim Mohammed Al Manji; Ahmed Said Almallak; Fatma Khamis Al Alawi; Vidyanand Vaidya; Muhammad Muqeetullah; Hanan Alrashdi; Saud Said Nassir Al Jamoudi; Asila Alshaqsi; Abdullah Al Sharji; Hamida Al Shukeiri; Badr Al-Abri; Sulaiman Al-Rawahi; Said H. Al-Lamki; Abdulla Al-Manji; Amina Al-Jardani

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys

Seif Salem Al-Abri^*, Adil Al-Wahaibi, Hanan Al-Kindi, Padmamohan J. Kurup, Ali Al-Maqbali, Zayid Al-Mayahi, Mohammed Hamed Al-Tobi, Salim Habbash Al-Katheri, Sultan Albusaidi, Mahmood Humaid Al-Sukaiti, Ahmed Yar Mohammed Al Balushi, Iyad Omer Abdelgadir, Nawal Al-Shehi, Essam Morkos, Amal Al-Maani, Bader Al-Rawahi, Fatma Alyaquobi, Abdullah Alqayoudhi, Khalid Al-Harthy, Sulien Al-KhaliliAzza Al-Rashdi, Intisar Al-Shukri, Thamra S. Al Ghafri, Fatma Al-Hashmi, Saeed Mussalam Al Jassasi, Nasser Alshaqsi, Nilanjan Mitra, Humaid Suhail Al Aamry, Parag Shah, Hanan Hassan Al Marbouai, Amany Hamed Al Araimi, Ismail Mohammed Kair, Asim Mohammed Al Manji, Ahmed Said Almallak, Fatma Khamis Al Alawi, Vidyanand Vaidya, Muhammad Muqeetullah, Hanan Alrashdi, Saud Said Nassir Al Jamoudi, Asila Alshaqsi, Abdullah Al Sharji, Hamida Al Shukeiri, Badr Al-Abri, Sulaiman Al-Rawahi, Said H. Al-Lamki, Abdulla Al-Manji, Amina Al-Jardani

^*Corresponding author for this work

Haematology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Oman and longitudinal changes in antibody levels over time within the first 11 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as a four-cycle serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified sampling method from July to November 2020. A questionnaire was used and included demographics, history of acute respiratory infection and list of symptoms, COVID-19 contact, previous diagnosis or admission, travel history and risk factors. Results: In total, 17,457 participants were surveyed. Thirty percent were female and 66.3% were Omani. There was a significant increase in seroprevalence throughout the study cycles, from 5.5% (4.8–6.2%) in Cycle 1 to 22% (19.6–24.6%) in Cycle 4. There was no difference in seroprevalence between genders, but significant differences were found between age groups. There was a transition of seroprevalence from being higher in non-Omanis than Omanis in Cycle 1 [9.1% (7.6–10.9%) vs 3.2% (2.6–3.9%)] to being higher in Omanis than non-Omanis in Cycle 4 [24.3% (21.0–27.9%) vs 16.8% (14.9–18.9%)]. There was remarkable variation in the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 according to governorate. Close contacts of people with COVID-19 had a 96% higher risk of having the disease [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.96, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.64–2.34]. Labourers had 58% higher risk of infection compared with office workers (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.35). Conclusion: This study showed a wide variation in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across governorates in Oman, with higher estimated seroprevalence in migrants in the first two cycles. Prevalence estimates remain low and are insufficient to provide herd immunity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	269-277
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume	112
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021

Keywords

Antibody seroprevalence
COVID-19
Herd immunity
Oman
Prevalence
SARS-CoV-2
Sero-epidemiological surveys
Serosurvey

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062

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Al-Abri, S. S., Al-Wahaibi, A., Al-Kindi, H., Kurup, P. J., Al-Maqbali, A., Al-Mayahi, Z., Al-Tobi, M. H., Al-Katheri, S. H., Albusaidi, S., Al-Sukaiti, M. H., Al Balushi, A. Y. M., Abdelgadir, I. O., Al-Shehi, N., Morkos, E., Al-Maani, A., Al-Rawahi, B., Alyaquobi, F., Alqayoudhi, A., Al-Harthy, K., ... Al-Jardani, A. (2021). Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 112, 269-277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062

Al-Abri, SS, Al-Wahaibi, A, Al-Kindi, H, Kurup, PJ, Al-Maqbali, A, Al-Mayahi, Z, Al-Tobi, MH, Al-Katheri, SH, Albusaidi, S, Al-Sukaiti, MH, Al Balushi, AYM, Abdelgadir, IO, Al-Shehi, N, Morkos, E, Al-Maani, A, Al-Rawahi, B, Alyaquobi, F, Alqayoudhi, A, Al-Harthy, K, Al-Khalili, S, Al-Rashdi, A, Al-Shukri, I, Al Ghafri, TS, Al-Hashmi, F, Al Jassasi, SM, Alshaqsi, N, Mitra, N, Al Aamry, HS, Shah, P, Al Marbouai, HH, Al Araimi, AH, Kair, IM, Al Manji, AM, Almallak, AS, Al Alawi, FK, Vaidya, V, Muqeetullah, M, Alrashdi, H, Al Jamoudi, SSN, Alshaqsi, A, Al Sharji, A, Al Shukeiri, H, Al-Abri, B, Al-Rawahi, S, Al-Lamki, SH, Al-Manji, A & Al-Jardani, A 2021, 'Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys', International Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol. 112, pp. 269-277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062

@article{44bab33b349b4b8e82f2fd9b15fd5be5,

title = "Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys",

abstract = "Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Oman and longitudinal changes in antibody levels over time within the first 11 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as a four-cycle serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified sampling method from July to November 2020. A questionnaire was used and included demographics, history of acute respiratory infection and list of symptoms, COVID-19 contact, previous diagnosis or admission, travel history and risk factors. Results: In total, 17,457 participants were surveyed. Thirty percent were female and 66.3% were Omani. There was a significant increase in seroprevalence throughout the study cycles, from 5.5% (4.8–6.2%) in Cycle 1 to 22% (19.6–24.6%) in Cycle 4. There was no difference in seroprevalence between genders, but significant differences were found between age groups. There was a transition of seroprevalence from being higher in non-Omanis than Omanis in Cycle 1 [9.1% (7.6–10.9%) vs 3.2% (2.6–3.9%)] to being higher in Omanis than non-Omanis in Cycle 4 [24.3% (21.0–27.9%) vs 16.8% (14.9–18.9%)]. There was remarkable variation in the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 according to governorate. Close contacts of people with COVID-19 had a 96% higher risk of having the disease [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.96, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.64–2.34]. Labourers had 58% higher risk of infection compared with office workers (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.35). Conclusion: This study showed a wide variation in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across governorates in Oman, with higher estimated seroprevalence in migrants in the first two cycles. Prevalence estimates remain low and are insufficient to provide herd immunity.",

keywords = "Antibody seroprevalence, COVID-19, Herd immunity, Oman, Prevalence, SARS-CoV-2, Sero-epidemiological surveys, Serosurvey",

author = "Al-Abri, {Seif Salem} and Adil Al-Wahaibi and Hanan Al-Kindi and Kurup, {Padmamohan J.} and Ali Al-Maqbali and Zayid Al-Mayahi and Al-Tobi, {Mohammed Hamed} and Al-Katheri, {Salim Habbash} and Sultan Albusaidi and Al-Sukaiti, {Mahmood Humaid} and {Al Balushi}, {Ahmed Yar Mohammed} and Abdelgadir, {Iyad Omer} and Nawal Al-Shehi and Essam Morkos and Amal Al-Maani and Bader Al-Rawahi and Fatma Alyaquobi and Abdullah Alqayoudhi and Khalid Al-Harthy and Sulien Al-Khalili and Azza Al-Rashdi and Intisar Al-Shukri and {Al Ghafri}, {Thamra S.} and Fatma Al-Hashmi and {Al Jassasi}, {Saeed Mussalam} and Nasser Alshaqsi and Nilanjan Mitra and {Al Aamry}, {Humaid Suhail} and Parag Shah and {Al Marbouai}, {Hanan Hassan} and {Al Araimi}, {Amany Hamed} and Kair, {Ismail Mohammed} and {Al Manji}, {Asim Mohammed} and Almallak, {Ahmed Said} and {Al Alawi}, {Fatma Khamis} and Vidyanand Vaidya and Muhammad Muqeetullah and Hanan Alrashdi and {Al Jamoudi}, {Saud Said Nassir} and Asila Alshaqsi and {Al Sharji}, Abdullah and {Al Shukeiri}, Hamida and Badr Al-Abri and Sulaiman Al-Rawahi and Al-Lamki, {Said H.} and Abdulla Al-Manji and Amina Al-Jardani",

note = "Funding Information: This study was a collaboration between the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control, the Directorate General of Primary Health Care, and the 11 Directorate Generals for Health Services in all 11 governorates in Oman. The authors wish to thank all the public health and primary healthcare staff, nurses and laboratory technologists who collaborated in this study. The authors also wish to thank the study participants. Finally, the authors wish to thank Lesley Carson for her editorial assistance in finalizing the manuscript. None declared. The study was approved by the Supreme Committee for COVID-19 and by the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control in Ministry of Health. Written informed consent was obtained from all individuals prior to study participation. Consent for children was obtained from a parent. SA, AW, AM, AJ, HK, AM, FY, AQ, SK, KH and BR handled the study conception and design, and the analysis and interpretation of data. PJK, AM, ZM, MT, SK, SB, MHS, AYB, IOA, NS and EM were responsible for conducting the study in the governorates and communicating with the study in the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control. AJ, HK, IS and AR were responsible for the study design, processing of samples in Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), and logistics management. All of the authors drafted the article or revised it critically for important intellectual content, and provided final approval of the version for submission. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s)",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062",

language = "English",

volume = "112",

pages = "269--277",

journal = "International Journal of Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1201-9712",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman

T2 - results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys

AU - Al-Abri, Seif Salem

AU - Al-Wahaibi, Adil

AU - Al-Kindi, Hanan

AU - Kurup, Padmamohan J.

AU - Al-Maqbali, Ali

AU - Al-Mayahi, Zayid

AU - Al-Tobi, Mohammed Hamed

AU - Al-Katheri, Salim Habbash

AU - Albusaidi, Sultan

AU - Al-Sukaiti, Mahmood Humaid

AU - Al Balushi, Ahmed Yar Mohammed

AU - Abdelgadir, Iyad Omer

AU - Al-Shehi, Nawal

AU - Morkos, Essam

AU - Al-Maani, Amal

AU - Al-Rawahi, Bader

AU - Alyaquobi, Fatma

AU - Alqayoudhi, Abdullah

AU - Al-Harthy, Khalid

AU - Al-Khalili, Sulien

AU - Al-Rashdi, Azza

AU - Al-Shukri, Intisar

AU - Al Ghafri, Thamra S.

AU - Al-Hashmi, Fatma

AU - Al Jassasi, Saeed Mussalam

AU - Alshaqsi, Nasser

AU - Mitra, Nilanjan

AU - Al Aamry, Humaid Suhail

AU - Shah, Parag

AU - Al Marbouai, Hanan Hassan

AU - Al Araimi, Amany Hamed

AU - Kair, Ismail Mohammed

AU - Al Manji, Asim Mohammed

AU - Almallak, Ahmed Said

AU - Al Alawi, Fatma Khamis

AU - Vaidya, Vidyanand

AU - Muqeetullah, Muhammad

AU - Alrashdi, Hanan

AU - Al Jamoudi, Saud Said Nassir

AU - Alshaqsi, Asila

AU - Al Sharji, Abdullah

AU - Al Shukeiri, Hamida

AU - Al-Abri, Badr

AU - Al-Rawahi, Sulaiman

AU - Al-Lamki, Said H.

AU - Al-Manji, Abdulla

AU - Al-Jardani, Amina

N1 - Funding Information: This study was a collaboration between the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control, the Directorate General of Primary Health Care, and the 11 Directorate Generals for Health Services in all 11 governorates in Oman. The authors wish to thank all the public health and primary healthcare staff, nurses and laboratory technologists who collaborated in this study. The authors also wish to thank the study participants. Finally, the authors wish to thank Lesley Carson for her editorial assistance in finalizing the manuscript. None declared. The study was approved by the Supreme Committee for COVID-19 and by the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control in Ministry of Health. Written informed consent was obtained from all individuals prior to study participation. Consent for children was obtained from a parent. SA, AW, AM, AJ, HK, AM, FY, AQ, SK, KH and BR handled the study conception and design, and the analysis and interpretation of data. PJK, AM, ZM, MT, SK, SB, MHS, AYB, IOA, NS and EM were responsible for conducting the study in the governorates and communicating with the study in the Directorate General for Disease Surveillance and Control. AJ, HK, IS and AR were responsible for the study design, processing of samples in Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), and logistics management. All of the authors drafted the article or revised it critically for important intellectual content, and provided final approval of the version for submission. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Oman and longitudinal changes in antibody levels over time within the first 11 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as a four-cycle serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified sampling method from July to November 2020. A questionnaire was used and included demographics, history of acute respiratory infection and list of symptoms, COVID-19 contact, previous diagnosis or admission, travel history and risk factors. Results: In total, 17,457 participants were surveyed. Thirty percent were female and 66.3% were Omani. There was a significant increase in seroprevalence throughout the study cycles, from 5.5% (4.8–6.2%) in Cycle 1 to 22% (19.6–24.6%) in Cycle 4. There was no difference in seroprevalence between genders, but significant differences were found between age groups. There was a transition of seroprevalence from being higher in non-Omanis than Omanis in Cycle 1 [9.1% (7.6–10.9%) vs 3.2% (2.6–3.9%)] to being higher in Omanis than non-Omanis in Cycle 4 [24.3% (21.0–27.9%) vs 16.8% (14.9–18.9%)]. There was remarkable variation in the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 according to governorate. Close contacts of people with COVID-19 had a 96% higher risk of having the disease [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.96, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.64–2.34]. Labourers had 58% higher risk of infection compared with office workers (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.35). Conclusion: This study showed a wide variation in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across governorates in Oman, with higher estimated seroprevalence in migrants in the first two cycles. Prevalence estimates remain low and are insufficient to provide herd immunity.

AB - Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Oman and longitudinal changes in antibody levels over time within the first 11 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted as a four-cycle serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified sampling method from July to November 2020. A questionnaire was used and included demographics, history of acute respiratory infection and list of symptoms, COVID-19 contact, previous diagnosis or admission, travel history and risk factors. Results: In total, 17,457 participants were surveyed. Thirty percent were female and 66.3% were Omani. There was a significant increase in seroprevalence throughout the study cycles, from 5.5% (4.8–6.2%) in Cycle 1 to 22% (19.6–24.6%) in Cycle 4. There was no difference in seroprevalence between genders, but significant differences were found between age groups. There was a transition of seroprevalence from being higher in non-Omanis than Omanis in Cycle 1 [9.1% (7.6–10.9%) vs 3.2% (2.6–3.9%)] to being higher in Omanis than non-Omanis in Cycle 4 [24.3% (21.0–27.9%) vs 16.8% (14.9–18.9%)]. There was remarkable variation in the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 according to governorate. Close contacts of people with COVID-19 had a 96% higher risk of having the disease [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.96, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.64–2.34]. Labourers had 58% higher risk of infection compared with office workers (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.35). Conclusion: This study showed a wide variation in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across governorates in Oman, with higher estimated seroprevalence in migrants in the first two cycles. Prevalence estimates remain low and are insufficient to provide herd immunity.

KW - Antibody seroprevalence

KW - COVID-19

KW - Herd immunity

KW - Oman

KW - Prevalence

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Sero-epidemiological surveys

KW - Serosurvey

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DO - 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.062

M3 - Article

C2 - 34601146

AN - SCOPUS:85117291136

SN - 1201-9712

VL - 112

SP - 269

EP - 277

JO - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

JF - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

ER -

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population of Oman: results from four successive nationwide sero-epidemiological surveys

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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