Evaluation of hemodialysis patients and hemodialysis health workers with COVID-19 IgM and IgG antibody test; a multicenter study from Eskisehir, Turkiye

OBJECTIVE: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are a population at high risk for exposure to the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Undiagnosed mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in HD patients can make these patients a potential source of infection. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the entire spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection with the IG M and IG G rapid antibody kit in HD patients and healthcare providers working in HD unit.
METHODS: 633 HD patients and 134 health workers from all dialysis centers (three private and three public) in Eskisehir were included in the study. Blood samples obtained from participants were allowed to clot for 30 min at room temperature at 15°C using a serum separator tube. Then it was centrifuged at 1000 g at 2–8°C for 15 min. The supernatant was collected and the samples were stored at -20°C until use. Serum samples stored at the end of the study were studied with the A.B.T.™ Biotechnology COVID-19 Rapid IgG-IgM Diagnostic Test. Routine examination was measured by standard methods. All participants were evaluated by serological analysis of IgG and IgM antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 recombinant antigen.
RESULTS: Two symptomatic HD patients (0.27%) were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection by real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase-chain - reaction test and chest tomography. In 15 (2.36%) of 633 asymptomatic patients, antibody was positive against the SARS-CoV recombinant antigen (IgG in 13, both IgG and IgM in 2), while no antibodies were detected in 134 health workers.
CONCLUSION: We have shown that most HD patients with SARS-CoV-2 experience the disease asymptomatically, and that antibody testing plays an important role in identifying patients with asymptomatic infection.

Hemodiyaliz hastalarý ve hemodiyaliz saðlýk çalýþanlarýnýn COVID-19 IgM ve IgG antikor testi ile deðerlendirilmesi: Türkiye, Eskiþehir’den çok merkezli çalýþma

Amaç: Hemodiyaliz (HD) hastalarý severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS ‐ CoV ‐ 2) virüsüne maruz kalma riski yüksek olan bir popülasyondur. Hafif klinik seyre sahip yada asemptomatik HD hastalarýnda teþhis edilmemiþ SARS‐CoV‐2 enfeksiyonu, bu hastalarý potansiyel bir enfeksiyon kaynaðý haline getirebilir. Çalýþmamýzda HD hastalarý ve saðlýk çalýþanlarýnda Ig M ve Ig G hýzlý antikor kiti ile SARS-CoV-2 enfeksiyonunun tüm spektrumunu deðerlendirmeyi amaçladýk.
Metod: Çalýþmaya Eskiþehir’deki tüm diyaliz merkezlerindeki (3 özel, 3 kamuya ait) 633 HD hastasý ve 134 saðlýk çalýþaný dahil edildi. Katýlýmcýlardan alýnan kan örnekleri, serum ayýrýcý tüp (SST) kullanýlarak oda sýcaklýðýnda 15°C'de 30 dakika pýhtýlaþmaya býrakýldý. Daha sonra 1000g'de 2-8°C'de 15 dakika santrifüj edildi. Süpernatant toplandý ve örnekler kullanýlýncaya kadar -20 °C'de saklandý. Çalýþma sonunda saklanan serum örnekleri A.B.T.™ Biyoteknoloji Covid-19 Hýzlý IgG-IgM Taný Testi ile çalýþýldý. Rutin testler standart yöntemlerle ölçüldü. Tüm katýlýmcýlar SARS-CoV-2 rekombinant antijenine karþý IgG ve IgM antikorlarýnýn serolojik analizi ile deðerlendirildi.
Bulgular: Semptomatik iki HD hastasýnýn (%0.27) real-time reverse-transcription–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) testi ve göðüs tomografisi ile SARS ‐ CoV ‐ 2 enfeksiyonu tanýsý aldýðý tesbit edildi. Asemptomatik 633 hastanýn 15’de (%2.36), SARS-CoV rekombinant antijenine karþý antikor tesbit edilirken (13’ünde IgG, 2’de hem IgG hem de IgM) 134 saðlýk çalýþanýnýn hiçbirinde antikor tesbit edilmedi.
Sonuç: SARS-CoV-2 enfeksiyonu geçiren çoðu HD hastasýnýn hastalýðý asemptomatik olarak yaþadýðýný ve asemptomatik enfeksiyonlu hastalarý belirlemede antikor testinin önemli rolünü gösterdik. (NCI-2021-8-2/R1)