SARS-COV-2 Seroprevalence and Risk Factors among Meat Packing, Produce Processing, and Farm Workers

Citation

Klein, Melissa D.; Sciaudone, Michael; Richardson, David; Lacayo, Roberto; McClean, Colleen M.; Kharabora, Oksana; Murray, Katherine; Zivanovich, Miriana Moreno; Strohminger, Stephen; & Gurnett, Rachel, et al. (2022). SARS-COV-2 Seroprevalence and Risk Factors among Meat Packing, Produce Processing, and Farm Workers. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(7), e0000619. PMCID: PMC10022315

Abstract

Meat packing, produce processing, and farm workers are known to have an elevated risk of COVID-19, but occupational risk factors in this population are unclear. We performed an observational cohort study of meat packing, produce processing, and farm workers in North Carolina in fall 2020. Blood, saliva, and nasal turbinate samples were collected to assess for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity were investigated using chi-square tests, two-sample t-tests, and adjusted risk ratio analyses. Among 118 enrolled workers, the baseline SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 50.0%. Meat packing plant workers had the highest SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence (64.6%), followed by farm workers (45.0%) and produce processing workers (10.0%), despite similar sociodemographic characteristics. Compared to SARS-CoV-2 seronegative workers, seropositive workers were more likely to work in loud environments that necessitated yelling to communicate (RR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.25-2.69), work in cold environments (RR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.12-2.24), or continue working despite developing symptoms at work (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.14-2.32). After adjusting for age and working despite symptoms, high occupational noise levels were associated with a 1.72 times higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (95% CI: 1.16-2.55). Half of food processing workers showed evidence of past SARS-CoV-2 infection, a prevalence five times higher than most of the United States population at the time of the study. Work environments with loud ambient noise may pose elevated risks for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Our findings also highlight the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among underserved and economically disadvantaged Latinx communities in the United States.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000619

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2022

Journal Title

PLOS Global Public Health

Author(s)

Klein, Melissa D.
Sciaudone, Michael
Richardson, David
Lacayo, Roberto
McClean, Colleen M.
Kharabora, Oksana
Murray, Katherine
Zivanovich, Miriana Moreno
Strohminger, Stephen
Gurnett, Rachel
Markmann, Alena J.
Bhowmik, D. Ryan
Salgado, Emperatriz Morales
Castro-Arroyo, Edwin
Aiello, Allison E.
Boyce, Ross M.
Juliano, Jonathan J
Bowman, Natalie M.

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10022315

Continent/Country

United States of America

State

North Carolina

ORCiD

Boyce, R - 0000-0002-9489-6324
Aiello - 0000-0001-7029-2537