tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2021 Mar 24.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26962. Online ahead of print.
Seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers in a non-epidemic region, Japan: A hospital-based study on May, 2020
Akihiro Nakamura[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sanae Ando[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hideaki Endo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ryoichi Sato[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing rate is low in our local area and the true rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may include many asymptomatic individuals. We conducted a serosurveillance using antibody testing in an area where official report of COVID-19 infection is not done yet. Blood samples were obtained from 1,404 healthcare workers (41 ? 11 years) in our hospital on May 29-31, 2020. First, the potential infection frequency was confirmed using two quantitative antibody tests. Additionally, the usefulness of rapid antibody kit testing for COVID-19 serosurveillance was examined. A COVID-19-indected case was defined as showing positive results in both quantitative tests. None of 1,404 samples had positive results from the two quantitative tests. The false positive rates were 0.36% and 0.07%, whereas those in rapid antibody kits were 3.3% and 3.0%. In conclusion, as of May, 2020, potential spread mainly by asymptomatic individuals infected with COVID-19 was not found in our local area where there was no official report of COVID-19, even if the PCR testing rate was low. Rapid antibody kits might not be useful due to the high false positive rate in an area with a low incidence of COVID-19 infected individuals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; Iwate; SARS-CoV-2; antibody test; serosurveillance.
. 2021 Mar 24.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26962. Online ahead of print.
Seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers in a non-epidemic region, Japan: A hospital-based study on May, 2020
Akihiro Nakamura[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sanae Ando[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Hideaki Endo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ryoichi Sato[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33760273
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26962
Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing rate is low in our local area and the true rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may include many asymptomatic individuals. We conducted a serosurveillance using antibody testing in an area where official report of COVID-19 infection is not done yet. Blood samples were obtained from 1,404 healthcare workers (41 ? 11 years) in our hospital on May 29-31, 2020. First, the potential infection frequency was confirmed using two quantitative antibody tests. Additionally, the usefulness of rapid antibody kit testing for COVID-19 serosurveillance was examined. A COVID-19-indected case was defined as showing positive results in both quantitative tests. None of 1,404 samples had positive results from the two quantitative tests. The false positive rates were 0.36% and 0.07%, whereas those in rapid antibody kits were 3.3% and 3.0%. In conclusion, as of May, 2020, potential spread mainly by asymptomatic individuals infected with COVID-19 was not found in our local area where there was no official report of COVID-19, even if the PCR testing rate was low. Rapid antibody kits might not be useful due to the high false positive rate in an area with a low incidence of COVID-19 infected individuals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; Iwate; SARS-CoV-2; antibody test; serosurveillance.