title: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus infection.
abstract: Whether severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection can be asymptomatic is unclear. We examined the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV among 674 healthcare workers from a hospital in which a SARS outbreak had occurred. A total of 353 (52%) experienced mild self-limiting illnesses, and 321 (48%) were asymptomatic throughout the course of these observations. None of these healthcare workers had antibody to SARS CoV, indicating that subclinical or mild infection attributable to SARS-CoV in adults is rare.
authors.affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. paulkschan@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Paul K S
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: C W Chan
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Rickjason
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Timothy H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Gavin M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Joynt
authors.forename: Joseph J Y
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral