Abstract
Background and objective The actual community burden of SARS-CoV-2 is undervalued, as the estimates are just the symptomatic infections. The acute phase of the pandemic has waned, and the analytical comparison of infection spread through repeated sero-epidemiological studies is important in the formulation of effective public health strategies. This study investigated the level of seroprevalence of IgG antibodies for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. Materials and methods The present cross-sectional survey was conducted over three months from September to November 2021 by carrying out a door-to-door survey involving 6129 participants. Among them, 3131 were from municipal areas, while the rest were from non-municipal regions. Data collection was facilitated using Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States). Venous blood samples were collected, and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected using the COVID KAVACH IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (developed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, India). The information collected was then cleaned, coded, and analyzed using Epi Info software (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA). Results The seroprevalence rate was found to be 80% in the whole district. Females had a higher seroprevalence rate in both areas than males. The population aged 60 years and above had the highest seroprevalence rate in both zones. The vaccinated group demonstrated a greater number of individuals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 compared to the unvaccinated group. Conclusion The significant increase in the seroprevalence estimates in relation to the prior survey is because of the significant surge in COVID-19 vaccination coverage after the first wave of the pandemic. The findings of the study imply the dynamic nature of the pandemic and the different degrees of immunity obtained within the community. Ongoing surveillance and research are essential for refining effective strategies to manage and mitigate future pandemics effectively.