title: Anti-SARS-CoV immunoglobulin G in healthcare workers, Guangzhou, China.
abstract: To determine the prevalence of inapparent infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among healthcare workers, we performed a serosurvey to test for immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies to the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) among 1,147 healthcare workers in 3 hospitals that admitted SARS patients in mid-May 2003. Among them were 90 healthcare workers with SARS. As a reference group, 709 healthcare workers who worked in 2 hospitals that never admitted any SARS patients were similarly tested. The seroprevalence rate was 88.9% (80/90) for healthcare workers with SARS and 1.4% (15/1,057) for healthcare workers who were apparently healthy. The seroprevalence in the reference group was 0.4% (3/709). These findings suggest that inapparent infection is uncommon. Low level of immunity among unaffected healthcare workers reinforces the need for adequate personal protection and other infection control measures in hospitals to prevent future epidemics.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan Road II 74, Guangzhou 510080, People's Republic of China. wqchen@gzsums.edu.cn
authors.forename: Wei-Qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ci-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Tze-Wai
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Zhong-Ning
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yuan-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ji-Qian
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Fu-Tian
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yi-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gui-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuan-Sen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Wen-Qi
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: He-Qun
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Guang-Mei
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D015995:Prevalence; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G