Covid-19 Serology in Oncology Staff Study [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Covid-19 Serology in Oncology Staff Study
IRAS ID
284231
Contact name
David M Favara
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
The global SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant morbidity and economic turmoil across the world. Despite significant ongoing research endeavours, cases continue to rise globally without any clear sight of discovery of a function treatment or vaccine. Antibody tests are the gold standard for providing evidence of exposure to pathogens following an adaptive immune response, with this being the case with SARS-CoV-2 infection as well. Although reports of IgM and IgG antibody production rates against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 survivors has varied (as reported in the media), the first large US series (n=285) showed that 100% of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive inpatients developed SARS-CoV-2 IgG within 19 days of symptom onset (Thevarajan et al. Nature medicine 2020). Another US study (currently a pre-print) showed that 511/624 (82%) SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive outpatients had developed antibodies 10-14 days after symptom onset (Wajnberg et al. medRxiv 2020). In a Swiss study, 10 out of 14 (71%) SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive Health Care Workers (HCWs) developed detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 15 days after PCR positivity and symptom onset (Solodky et al. Annals of oncology 2020). \n\nThe percentage of asymptomatic HCW (health care workers) who are SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive has not been extensively investigated and may be a useful measure to aid determining population-wide infection rates during nationwide lockdown. \n\nHere, we propose a study investigating SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity within the medical and nursing staff of oncology departments at 3 large UK hospitals at two time-points after 8 weeks of the UK national lockdown. Simultaneous SARS-CoV-2 PCR nasopharyngeal swabbing will also be done at both time points, subject to availability of funds.
REC name
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REC reference
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