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Research
Jesus Castilla
Instituto de Salud Pública y Laboral de Navarra: Instituto de Salud Publica y Laboral de Navarra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6396-7265
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
After the first pandemic wave, a nationwide seroepidemiological survey assessed the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the population of Spain and found notable differences among provinces whose causes remain unclear. The present study aimed to examine the influence of environmental factors on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods
This ecological study analyzed the association between environmental and demographic factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection by province. Environmental temperature and humidity were obtained from the Spanish Meteorological Agency and province extension, and latitude and altitude above sea level of their capital cities from the Geographical Institute. The seroprevalence SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by province was obtained from a nationwide representative survey performed in June 2020, after the first pandemic wave in Spain. Linear regression was used in the analysis.
Results
The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies of the 50 provinces ranged from 0.2% to 13.6%. Altitude explained nearly half of differences in seroprevalence (determination coefficient [R2]=0.46, p<0.0001). Seroprevalence in people residing in provinces above the median altitude (215 meters) was threefold higher (6.5% vs 2.1%, p<0.0001). In the multivariate linear regression, the addition of population density significantly improved the predictive value of the altitude (R2=0.55, p<0.0001). Every 100 meters of altitude increase and 100 inhabitants/km2 of increase in population density, the seroprevalence increased by 0.84 and 0.63 percentage points, respectively.
Conclusions
Environmental conditions related to higher altitude in winter-spring, as lower temperature and absolute humidity, may be relevant to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Places with such adverse conditions may require additional efforts for pandemic control.
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, altitude, seroepidemiologic studies, infection transmission, population density
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A new preprint design is coming!
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This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Research
Jesus Castilla
Instituto de Salud Pública y Laboral de Navarra: Instituto de Salud Publica y Laboral de Navarra
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6396-7265
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 27 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
After the first pandemic wave, a nationwide seroepidemiological survey assessed the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the population of Spain and found notable differences among provinces whose causes remain unclear. The present study aimed to examine the influence of environmental factors on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods
This ecological study analyzed the association between environmental and demographic factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection by province. Environmental temperature and humidity were obtained from the Spanish Meteorological Agency and province extension, and latitude and altitude above sea level of their capital cities from the Geographical Institute. The seroprevalence SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by province was obtained from a nationwide representative survey performed in June 2020, after the first pandemic wave in Spain. Linear regression was used in the analysis.
Results
The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies of the 50 provinces ranged from 0.2% to 13.6%. Altitude explained nearly half of differences in seroprevalence (determination coefficient [R2]=0.46, p<0.0001). Seroprevalence in people residing in provinces above the median altitude (215 meters) was threefold higher (6.5% vs 2.1%, p<0.0001). In the multivariate linear regression, the addition of population density significantly improved the predictive value of the altitude (R2=0.55, p<0.0001). Every 100 meters of altitude increase and 100 inhabitants/km2 of increase in population density, the seroprevalence increased by 0.84 and 0.63 percentage points, respectively.
Conclusions
Environmental conditions related to higher altitude in winter-spring, as lower temperature and absolute humidity, may be relevant to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Places with such adverse conditions may require additional efforts for pandemic control.
Figure 1
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