Early results from a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)-led COVID-19 antibody study show that 3.5% of Arkansans have been infected with the novel coronavirus.
UAMS researcher Joshua Kennedy, MD, revealed the initial findings of the Arkansas Coronavirus Antibodies Seroprevalence Survey during a presentation on Oct. 21 with Laura James, MD, director of the UAMS Translational Research Institute.
One aspect of the study involved using remnant blood samples from patients who visit UAMS clinics, including three regional campus clinics, and have their blood drawn for health reasons other than COVID-19. The samples, which would be discarded otherwise, are being collected and shipped to UAMS from across the state for the antibody test, which was developed in the laboratories of Boehme and Forrest.
Of 1,220 adult blood samples tested so far, 43 were positive, or 3.5%. From this analysis, samples were collected in July and August of 2020. While low overall, Kennedy said, there are noteworthy differences across racial and ethnic groups:
- Hispanic (13 of 73 positive = 17.8%)
- Black/African American (21/501 = 4.19%)
- White/Caucasian (7/550 = 1.27%)
Kennedy said that, “based on the data and statistical analysis to date, Hispanics/Latinx and Blacks/African Americans have a higher percentage of positive COVID-19 antibody tests. This relationship will need to be studied further for other factors that might influence these numbers. We hope to work through some of these issues over the next two waves of the study.”