%0 Journal Article
%T The COVID-19 Pandemic: Present or Gone, Where Do Adolescents Stand?
%A Ifueko Enadeghe
%A Ayebo Sadoh
%A Emmanuel U. Eyo-Ita
%A Phillip O. Abiodun
%J Advances in Infectious Diseases
%P 374-386
%@ 2164-2656
%D 2024
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/aid.2024.142027
%X &lt;b&gt;Introduction: &lt;/b&gt;The initial global response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic focused on adults as adolescents mainly had subclinical infections. Adolescents, however, could transmit the virus and hence be a risk to the elderly, young children and immunocompromised. Adolescents are also at risk of long-term complications. This study sought to determine the prevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 among adolescents in Southern Nigeria, and to determine the association between SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and age, gender, socioeconomic class, school type and nutritional status. &lt;b&gt;Methods: &lt;/b&gt;This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Edo state of southern Nigeria. We recruited 270 in-school adolescents aged 10 - 19 years. A WHO-adapted, pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain data on participant history and risk factors. The questionnaire was interviewer-administered. Adolescents whose parents gave consent were recruited through a multi-stage randomized sampling method. Capillary blood for the assay was collected and analysed using a lateral-flow immunoassay device. The primary outcome was serostatus of the study. The positive predictors of serostatus were finally determined using a multiple logistics regression model. Statistical significance was set at &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05. &lt;b&gt;Results: &lt;/b&gt;The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 45.9%. IgM antibodies were found in 5.6% of participants. Older adolescents had higher seropositivity rates than younger adolescents (&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&amp;#967;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt; = 8.101, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt; &lt;/i&gt;= 0.017). There was no association between gender and seropositivity. Adolescents in public schools were more likely to be seropositive than those in private schools (&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&amp;#967;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;= &lt;/b&gt;25.242, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt; &lt;/i&gt;= 0.001). A higher seroprevalence was noticed among study participants in the lower socioeconomic class (&lt;i&gt;x&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/i&gt; = 6.928, p = 0.031), and those in overcrowded classes. (&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&amp;#967;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt; = 79.303, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.001). &lt;b&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/b&gt;This study showed a high seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among in-school adolescents. Behavioural change communication on SARS-CoV-2, vaccination of adolescents, and standardization
%K Pandemic
%K Adolescents
%K Seroprevalence
%K COVID-19
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=133175