Serology Screening for SARS-COV-2 Infection in Patients Undergoing Heart Transplantation and their Household Contacts

Methods: Prevalence study, epidemiological survey, cross-sectional, for the presence of total antibodies to SARS-COV-2 in a population of heart transplant recipients and their household contacts.

Results: 80 participants, 38 (47%) heart transplantation, 42 (43%) household contacts. In Transplanted group: 3(8%) positive serology, 7(18%) symptomatic, 1 (3%) had symptoms and positive sorolgy, 2(5%) were asymptomatic and had positive sorology.; In household contacts 10(24%) positive serology, 14(33%) symptomatic, 8 (19%) had symptoms and positive sorolgy, 6(14%) were asymptomatic and had positive sorology. In Househould contacts group the correlation with symptoms of cough (p:0,002), anosmia (p:0,005) and ageusia (p:0,012) were statistically significant. In the population of transplanted patients, when analyzed separately, clinical symptoms did not correlate with positive serology (fever p: 0.225, cough p: 0.385).

Conclusions: The seroconversion rate in heart transplant recipients was lower than that of household contacts.There was no significant correlation between the description of clinical manifestations and the detection of total anti-SARS- COV-2 antibodies in transplant patients.

Keywords: COVID-19, transplantation, heart transplantation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, SARS-COV-2 serology, immunity.