Seroprevalence Of SARS-COV-2 infection in asymptomatic indigenous from the largest Brazilian periurban area.
Laís Albuquerque de OliveiraMarcelo Dos Santos BarbosaAlex José Leite TorresMariana Garcia CrodaBruna Oliveira da SilvaPaulo César Pereira Dos SantosRegina RossoniLayla Oliveira Campos Leite MachadoJulio CrodaCrhistinne Cavalheiro Maymone GonçalvesMichele Ferreira MarquesTiago da Silva FerreiraSilvia Inês SardiGubio Soares CamposGabriel Barroso de AlmeidaMarilia Maria Alves GomesSilvana Beutinger MarchioroSimone SimionattoPublished in: PloS one (2023)
This study assessed the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in 496 asymptomatic individuals from Mato Grosso do Sul, located in Dourados, the largest periurban indigenous area in Brazil, from January 25 to February 4, 2021. The volunteers participated before receiving their first dose of the CoronaVac inactivated vaccine. For screening, blood samples were collected and analyzed using SARS-CoV-2 rapid tests and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We observed varying trends in total anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies across different variables. Seropositivity among the participants tested was 63.70% (316/496) using the rapid test and 52.82% (262/496) were positive using the ELISA method. The majority of participants identified with the Guarani-Kaiowá ethnic group, with 66.15% (217/328), and other ethnic groups with 58.84% (193/328). The median age of the subjects was 30.5 years, with 79.57% (261/328) being femaleThis research showed the elevated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in asymptomatic Brazilians. The findings indicate a high seropositivity rate among the asymptomatic indigenous population of Midwest Brazil. This underscores the overlooked status of these communities and underscores the need for targeted national initiatives that emphasize the protection of vulnerable ethnic groups in the fight against COVID-19.