A Cross-Sectional Study Revealed a Low Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Asymptomatic University Students in Tripoli, North Lebanon

Overview

Journal Pathogens

Date 2024 Oct 25

PMID 39452743

Authors

Rayane Rafei

Layla Tajer

Dalal Nour

Karen Abboud

Dima Ankoud

Marwan Osman

Marielle Bedotto

Mohamad Bachar Ismail

Fouad Dabboussi

Philippe Colson

Monzer Hamze

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among >18-year-old students in the Faculty of Public Health and Faculty of Sciences at the Lebanese University in Tripoli, Northern Lebanon, in June 2023 and to characterize the circulating Omicron subvariants. Out of 357 participants, only 2 (0.56%) tested positive by qPCR, corresponding to 0.61% (2/326) of asymptomatic students. One case tested positive with a qPCR targeting the Omicron BA.2 variant. These findings indicate a low incidence at that time and emphasize the interest of SARS-CoV-2 surveillance among students.

References

Khan S, Siddique R, Bai Q, Shabana , Liu Y, Xue M . Coronaviruses disease 2019 (COVID-19): Causative agent, mental health concerns, and potential management options. J Infect Public Health. 2020; 13(12):1840-1844. PMC: 7381894. DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.07.010. View

Hoballah A, El Haidari R, Siblany G, Abdel Sater F, Mansour S, Hassan H . SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence in Lebanon: findings from the first nationwide serosurvey. BMC Infect Dis. 2022; 22(1):42. PMC: 8744021. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07031-z. View

Rayan R . Seasonal variation and COVID-19 infection pattern: A gap from evidence to reality. Curr Opin Environ Sci Health. 2021; 20:100238. PMC: 7896490. DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2021.100238. View

Muangman S, Pimainog Y, Kunaratnpruk S, Kanchanaphum P . The Prevalence of COVID-19 Infection in Students and Staff at a Private University in Thailand by Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Assay. J Environ Public Health. 2022; 2022:2350522. PMC: 8897746. DOI: 10.1155/2022/2350522. View

Mumtaz G, El-Jardali F, Jabbour M, Harb A, Abu-Raddad L, Makhoul M . Modeling the Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination in Lebanon: A Call to Speed-Up Vaccine Roll Out. Vaccines (Basel). 2021; 9(7). PMC: 8310257. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070697. View

Domiati S, Hodeib F, El Majzoub R, Sacre H . COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptability: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Lebanese Residents. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2023; 17:e421. DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2023.89. View

Younes S, Safwan J, Rahal M, Hammoudi D, Akiki Z, Akel M . Effect of COVID-19 on mental health among the young population in Lebanon. Encephale. 2021; 48(4):371-382. PMC: 8426189. DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2021.06.007. View

Merhi G, Trotter A, de Oliveira Martins L, Koweyes J, Le-Viet T, Abou Naja H . Replacement of the Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 by the Delta variant in Lebanon between April and June 2021. Microb Genom. 2022; 8(7). PMC: 9455693. DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000838. View

Helou M, Zoghbi S, El Osta N, Mina J, Mokhbat J, Husni R . COVID-19 infection and seroconversion rates in healthcare workers in Lebanon: An observational study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023; 102(17):e32992. PMC: 10143398. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000032992. View

10.

Feghali R, Merhi G, Kwasiborski A, Hourdel V, Ghosn N, Tokajian S . Genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the first SARS-CoV-2 variants introduced in Lebanon. PeerJ. 2021; 9:e11015. PMC: 8447710. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11015. View

11.

Tamura T, Irie T, Deguchi S, Yajima H, Tsuda M, Nasser H . Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.5 variant. Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):1176. PMC: 10853506. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45274-3. View

12.

Othman R, Touma E, El Othman R, Haddad C, Hallit R, Obeid S . COVID-19 pandemic and mental health in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. 2021; 25(2):152-163. DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2021.1879159. View

13.

Nour D, Rafei R, Lamarca A, de Almeida L, Osman M, Ismail M . The Role of Lebanon in the COVID-19 Butterfly Effect: The B.1.398 Example. Viruses. 2022; 14(8). PMC: 9412248. DOI: 10.3390/v14081640. View

14.

Chakraborty C, Bhattacharya M, Chopra H, Islam M, Saikumar G, Dhama K . The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron recombinant subvariants XBB, XBB.1, and XBB.1.5 are expanding rapidly with unique mutations, antibody evasion, and immune escape properties - an alarming global threat of a surge in COVID-19 cases again?. Int J Surg. 2023; 109(4):1041-1043. PMC: 10132296. DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000246. View

15.

Sakr F, Maalouf A, Msallem E, Issa A, Nehme J, Hoteit M . A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude, behaviour and preventive measures for COVID-19 infection in Lebanon. East Mediterr Health J. 2023; 29(4):295-301. DOI: 10.26729/emhj.23.038. View

16.

Notarte K, Guerrero-Arguero I, Velasco J, Ver A, de Oliveira M, Catahay J . Characterization of the significant decline in humoral immune response six months post-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination: A systematic review. J Med Virol. 2022; 94(7):2939-2961. PMC: 9088566. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27688. View

17.

Oran D, Topol E . Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection : A Narrative Review. Ann Intern Med. 2020; 173(5):362-367. PMC: 7281624. DOI: 10.7326/M20-3012. View

18.

Bizri A, Khachfe H, Fares M, Musharrafieh U . COVID-19 Pandemic: An Insult Over Injury for Lebanon. J Community Health. 2020; 46(3):487-493. PMC: 7358300. DOI: 10.1007/s10900-020-00884-y. View

19.

Peng J, Su D, Zhang Z, Wang M . Identification and management of asymptomatic carriers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2020; 14(5):599-600. PMC: 7300997. DOI: 10.1111/irv.12768. View

20.

Allen J, Toapanta F, Chen W, Tennant S . Understanding immunosenescence and its impact on vaccination of older adults. Vaccine. 2020; 38(52):8264-8272. PMC: 7719605. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.11.002. View