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Hoebel J, Busch MA, Grabka MM, Zinn S, Allen J, Göfêwald A, Wernitz J, Goebel J, Steinhauer HW, Siegers R, Schroder C, Kuttig T, Butschalowsky H, Schlaud M, Rosario AS, Brix J, Rysina A, Glemser A, Neuhauser H, Stahlberg S, Kneuer A, Hey I, Schaarschmidt J, Fiebig J, Buttmann-Schweiger N, Wilking H, Michel J, Nitsche A, Wieler LH, Schaade L, Ziese T, Liebig S, Lampert T. Seroepidemiological study on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Study protocol of the CORONA-MONITORING bundesweit' study (RKI-SOEP study). J Health Monit 2021; 6:2-16. [PMID: 35585914 PMCID: PMC8832365 DOI: 10.25646/7853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has spread rapidly across Germany. Infections are likely to be under-recorded in the notification data from local health authorities on laboratory-confirmed cases since SARS-CoV-2 infections can proceed with few symptoms and then often remain undetected. Seroepidemiological studies allow the estimation of the proportion in the population that has been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (seroprevalence) as well as the extent of undetected infections. The ‘CORONA-MONITORING bundesweit’ study (RKI-SOEP study) collects biospecimens and interview data in a nationwide population sample drawn from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). Participants are sent materials to self-collect a dry blood sample of capillary blood from their finger and a swab sample from their mouth and nose, as well as a questionnaire. The samples returned are tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 RNA to identify past or present infections. The methods applied enable the identification of SARS-CoV-2 infections, including those that previously went undetected. In addition, by linking the data collected with available SOEP data, the study has the potential to investigate social and health-related differences in infection status. Thus, the study contributes to an improved understanding of the extent of the epidemic in Germany, as well as identification of target groups for infection protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Hoebel
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Markus A Busch
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Markus M Grabka
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel
| | - Sabine Zinn
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel.,Humboldt University Berlin Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
| | - Jennifer Allen
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Antje Göfêwald
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Jörg Wernitz
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Jan Goebel
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel
| | | | - Rainer Siegers
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel
| | - Carsten Schroder
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel.,Freie Universität Berlin School of Business and Economics
| | - Tim Kuttig
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Hans Butschalowsky
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Martin Schlaud
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | | | | | | | | | - Hannelore Neuhauser
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Silke Stahlberg
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Antje Kneuer
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Isabell Hey
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Jörg Schaarschmidt
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Julia Fiebig
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | | | - Hendrik Wilking
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
| | - Janine Michel
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens
| | - Andreas Nitsche
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens
| | - Lothar H Wieler
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Institute Leadership.,Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Methodology and Research Infrastructure
| | - Lars Schaade
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens.,Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Institute Leadership
| | - Thomas Ziese
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
| | - Stefan Liebig
- German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Socio-Economic Panel
| | - Thomas Lampert
- Robert Koch Institute, Berlin Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring
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