Low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in blood donors in the early COVID-19 epidemic in the Netherlands

Nat Commun. 2020 Nov 12;11(1):5744. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19481-7.

Abstract

The world is combating an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with health-care systems, society and economies impacted in an unprecedented way. It is unclear how many people have contracted the causative coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) unknowingly and are asymptomatic. Therefore, reported COVID-19 cases do not reflect the true scale of outbreak. Here we present the prevalence and distribution of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in a healthy adult population of the Netherlands, which is a highly affected country, using a high-performance immunoassay. Our results indicate that one month into the outbreak (i) the seroprevalence in the Netherlands was 2.7% with substantial regional variation, (ii) the hardest-hit areas showed a seroprevalence of up to 9.5%, (iii) the seroprevalence was sex-independent throughout age groups (18-72 years), and (iv) antibodies were significantly more often present in younger people (18-30 years). Our study provides vital information on the extent of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in a country where social distancing is in place.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Asymptomatic Diseases / epidemiology
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification
  • Blood Donors / statistics & numerical data*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Netherlands
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Prevalence
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Social Isolation
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M