Insights from a pan India sero-epidemiological survey (Phenome-india cohort) for SARS-CoV2

Abstract

To understand the spread of SARS-CoV2, in August and September 2020, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India) conducted a serosurvey across its constituent laboratories and centers across India. Of 10,427 volunteers, 1058 (10.14%) tested positive for SARS-CoV2 anti-nucleocapsid (anti-NC) antibodies, 95% of which had surrogate neutralization activity. Three-fourth of these recalled no symptoms. Repeat serology tests at 3 (n = 607) and 6 (n = 175) months showed stable anti-NC antibodies but declining neutralization activity. Local seropositivity was higher in densely populated cities and was inversely correlated with a 30-day change in regional test positivity rates (TPRs). Regional seropositivity above 10% was associated with declining TPR. Personal factors associated with higher odds of seropositivity were high-exposure work (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, p value: 2.23, 1.92–2.59, <0.0001), use of public transport (1.79, 1.43–2.24, <0.0001), not smoking (1.52, 1.16–1.99, 0.0257), non-vegetarian diet (1.67, 1.41–1.99, <0.0001), and B blood group (1.36, 1.15–1.61, 0.001).