title: SARS-related virus predating SARS outbreak, Hong Kong.
abstract: Using immunofluorescence and neutralization assays, we detected antibodies to human severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and/or animal SARS-CoV-like virus in 17 (1.8%) of 938 adults recruited in 2001. This finding suggests that a small proportion of healthy persons in Hong Kong had been exposed to SARS-related viruses at least 2 years before the recent SARS outbreak.
authors.affiliation: University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ka Hing
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Kin Ling
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Betty Wan Y
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Li Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Shui Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral