Kavitha Konikkara, Aiswarya Mukundan, Reena John,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Abstract
The surge of COVID-19 has weighed heavily on health care systems and hospitals. Health care workers are at high risk of exposure both in the community and workplace when providing care to patients. Quantitative assays to detect antibodies against SARS COV-2 help to determine individual antibody titre and in longitudinal monitoring of antibody response. The present study was undertaken as there is not much data available regarding the presence of SARS COV-2 antibodies among health care workers in Kerala. The objective was to estimate the IgG antibody response and to find out the associated factors in vaccinated healthcare workers. The study was conducted among 187 vaccinated health care workers. Blood sample was collected from them and quantitative determination of humoral antibodies (including IgG) was done by Chemiluminescence immunoassay. The antibody response was correlated with various factors. Analysis was done using the software IBM SPSS Version 25. The seroconversion rate following Covishield vaccine was found to be 99.47% with mean, median and standard deviation of antibody titre being 1291.0, 311.40 and 1792.500 respectively. Statistical significance in antibody titre was observed among different categories of health care workers and in those with previous COVID-19 infection. Higher titre was noted within 3 months of vaccination and thereafter waning of titre was seen which was also statistically significant. No correlation was observed with age, gender, co-morbidities , area of work and Body Mass Index (BMI). Vaccination plays a major role in containing the infection. The immune response among vaccinated health care workers was satisfactory.
