The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) affect approximately 1% of the UK population; and 25-30% of these patients are now treated with biological therapies which target the immune system to maintain remission.
It has been hypothesized that these patients may be at increased risk of either clinically apparent SARS-CoV-2 infection (Covid-19), or sub-clinical infection.
As part of a separately approved project, we are following a cohort of patients who will be attending regularly for the biological agents infliximab or vedolizumab to assess who becomes infected with SARS-CoV-2 and develops symptoms, as well as using blood tests to see who develops antibodies to the virus.
Data from SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing of healthcare workers in Oxfordshire are held within IORD. We would like to use IORD data to compare rates of antibody detection in patients with IBD from our cohort and those in healthcare workers.