Abstract
Objectives: To describe the risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in UK healthcare workers (HCWs).Methods: We conducted a prospective sero-epidemiological study of HCWs at a major UK teaching hos-pital using a SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay. Risk factors for seropositivity were analysed using multivariate logistic regression.Results: 410/5,698 (7 middot2%) staff tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Seroprevalence was higher in those working in designated COVID-19 areas compared with other areas (9 middot47% versus 6 middot16%) Health-care assistants (aOR 2 middot06 [95%CI 1 middot14-3 middot71]; p = 0 middot016) and domestic and portering staff (aOR 3 middot45 [95% CI 1 middot07-11 middot42]; p = 0 middot039) had significantly higher seroprevalence than other staff groups after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity and COVID-19 working location. Staff working in acute medicine and medical sub -specialities were also at higher risk (aOR 2 middot07 [95% CI 1 middot31-3 middot25]; p < 0 middot002). Staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds had an aOR of 1 middot65 (95% CI 1 middot32 - 2 middot07; p < 0 middot001) compared to white staff; this increased risk was independent of COVID-19 area working. The only symptoms signifi-cantly associated with seropositivity in a multivariable model were loss of sense of taste or smell, fever, and myalgia; 31% of staff testing positive reported no prior symptoms.Conclusions: Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst HCWs is highly heterogeneous and influenced by COVID-19 working location, role, age and ethnicity. Increased risk amongst BAME staff cannot be ac-counted for solely by occupational factors.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The British Infection Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )