Introduction acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) are responsible for significant proportions of illnesses and deaths annually. Most of ARIs are of viral etiology, with human coronaviruses (HCoVs) playing a key role. This study was conducted prior to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) to provide evidence about the sero-epidemiology of HCoVs in rural areas of Ghana. Methods this was a cross-sectional study conducted as part of a large epidemiological study investigating the occurrence of respiratory viruses in 3 rural areas of Ghana; Buoyem, Kwamang and Forikrom. Serum samples were collected and tested for the presence of IgG-antibodies to three HCoVs; HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-NL63 using immunofluorescence assay. Results of 201 subjects enrolled into the study, 97 (48.3%) were positive for all three viruses. The most prevalent virus was HCoV-229E (23%; 95% CI: 17.2 – 29.3), followed by HCoV-OC43 (17%; 95% CI: 12.4 – 23.4), then HCoV-NL63 (8%, 95% CI: 4.6 – 12.6). Subjects in Kwamang had the highest sero-prevalence for HCoV-NL63 (68.8%). human coronaviruses-229E (41.3%) and HCoV-OC43 (45.7%) were much higher in Forikrom compared to the other study areas. There was however no statistical difference between place of origin and HCoVs positivity. Although blood group O+ and B+ were most common among the recruited subjects, there was no significant association (p = 0.163) between blood group and HCoV infection. Conclusion this study reports a 48.3% sero-prevalence of HCoVs (OC43, NL63 and 229E) among rural communities in Ghana. The findings provide useful baseline data that could inform further sero-epidemiological studies on SARS-CoV-2 in Africa.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Ghana, human coronaviruses, HCoVs, immunofluorescent assay, 【초록키워드】 viruses, cross-sectional, Infection, HCoV-OC43, respiratory tract infection, virus, ARI, respiratory virus, outbreak, immunofluorescence assay, death, Community, HCoV-229E, NL63, etiology, OC43, Blood Group, HCoV-NL63, 229E, association, Coronavirus-2, Evidence, acute respiratory syndrome, subject, Epidemiological study, no statistical difference, positive, serum sample, MOST, prevalent, Occurrence, human coronavirus, Result, enrolled, highest, responsible, tested, collected, proportion, conducted, much higher, illness, baseline, recruited subjects, 【제목키워드】 Community, human coronavirus,