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Objectives The World Health Organisation promoted the use of serological testing as a rapid and accurate technique for detection of the immunity against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In Lebanon, a better understanding of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 is needed to develop effective measures for prevention and plan an appropriate national vaccination program. This study aims to measure the immunity status in Lebanon. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the population consisted of male and female Lebanese and non-Lebanese residents of Lebanon between the ages 15 and 75. Exclusion criteria included same household, symptomatic individuals, and extremes of age (75). Representative testing for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (Anti-SARS-CoV-2 electrochemiluminescence immunoassay/ECLIA) was used to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Lebanon. Results Over 6 months, a total of 13,755 participants were recruited, and 3,168 (23.03%) individuals tested positive for Anti-SARS-CoV-2, with levels of positivity varying among districts. A higher level of seropositivity was detected in the female participants. Conclusion The seroprevalence against SARS-CoV-2 varied within Lebanon and was compatible with the levels seen in the MENA region at the time of the study. The seroprevalence documented in this study reflected a level of immunity that is not protective at the national level. Funding This study was funded by the Lebanese American University School of Medicine.

Although the adverse effects of non-essential heavy metals on semen quality have been demonstrated in experimental animal models and occupational human exposure studies, little is known about the reproductive efficiency of exposed sperm during the process of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our study aims to evaluate the effect of paternal exposure to non-essential heavy metals on embryo efficiency outcomes (embryo cleavage, fragmentation, implantation, and live birth) in ICSI cycle. Ninety-five heterosexual couples who underwent 95 ICSI cycles and 78 fresh embryo transfers between January 2003 and December 2009 were evaluated. Men whose female partner was undergoing ICSI were asked to provide semen and blood samples. Heavy metal levels (Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Ba, and U) were analyzed using an ion-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; Agilent 7500 ce, Agilent Technologies, Germany) equipped with a cell dynamic range (CDR). Paternal exposure to trace heavy metals was found to influence intermediate reproductive endpoints in ICSI cycles. After adjusting for paternal and maternal confounders, paternal blood concentrations of Cd [−0.30(−0.11,−0.02)], As [−0.26(−0.16,−0.11)], and U [−0.22(−0.24,−0.02)] were inversely associated with embryo cell cleavage on day 3. Counterintuitively, paternal blood and semen Pb levels [0.26(0.01,0.22); 0.25(0.03,0.14)] as well as semen U levels [0.27(0.01,0.19)] were positively associated with the proportion of implanted embryos. There were no significant associations observed for clinical pregnancy and live birth rates with any paternal heavy metal concentrations in semen and blood. These findings highlight the importance of paternal health for embryo efficiency outcomes in ICSI treatment cycles and the need for more male partner inclusive counseling in fertility practice. They also underline a paradoxical positive association between some heavy metal pollutants at low exposure levels and reproductive outcomes.