High SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Rural Peru, 2021: a Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study
Andres Moreira-Soto, Johanna Maribel Pachamora Diaz, Lilian González-Auza, Xiomara Jeanleny Merino Merino, Alvaro Schwalb, Christian Drosten, Eduardo Gotuzzo, Michael Talledo, Heriberto Arévalo Ramirez, Roxana Peralta Delgado, Spassky Bocanegra Vargas, Jan Felix Drexler
Abstract
Latin America is a global hot spot of the COVID-19 pandemic. Serologic studies in Latin America have been mostly performed in urban settings. Rural populations comprise 20% of the total Latin American population. Nevertheless, information on COVID-19 spread in rural settings is scarce. Using a representative population-based seroprevalence study, we detected a high seroprevalence in rural populations in San Martin, northern Peru, in 2021, reaching 41 to 74%. However, seroprevalence and reported incidence diverged substantially between regions, potentially due to limited health care access or test avoidance due to mandatory quarantine. Our results suggest that rural populations are highly affected by SARS-CoV-2 even though they are sociodemographically distinct from urban populations and that highly specific serological diagnostics should be performed in resource-limited settings to support public health strategies of COVID-19 control.