key: cord-322204-kc7dy2za
authors: Khalil, Asma; Hill, Robert; Wright, Alison; Ladhani, Shamez; O’Brien, Pat
title: SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody detection in healthcare workers in a UK maternity Hospital: Correlation with SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results
date: 2020-08-08
journal: Clin Infect Dis
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa893
sha: 
doc_id: 322204
cord_uid: kc7dy2za

nan

M a n u s c r i p t Dear Editor, During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages due to illness, self-isolation and redeployment have been a major challenge. Universal healthcare worker (HCW) testing is potentially useful in ameliorating workforce depletion and reducing asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2. Nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) can diagnose only current or recent infection; testing for antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 could enhance the ability to expedite reinstatement of services, while ensuring patient and staff safety. Tests are now available for immunoglobulin (Ig) G against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein; the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA is reported to have high specificity We previously reported that 32% of HCW testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on nasopharyngeal swab were asymptomatic at the time. 2 Symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive adults have similar viral loads and infectious virus isolation. 3 Our finding that both of these groups developed SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies is reassuring.

Of those testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG, 39% had an earlier negative nasopharyngeal swab. Possible explanations are that either infection occurred at an interval before or after the swab test, or the swab RT-PCR gave a false negative result (due to poor swabbing technique, suboptimal storage conditions, delay in testing, or poor sensitivity of nasopharyngeal swabs, reported to be as low as 70%). 4 The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG (22%) among HCW was higher than in the general population in London (17%) or across the UK (5%). 5 Both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections were associated with SARS-COV-2 IgG antibodies, as were 10% of

Performance Characteristics of the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG Assay and Seroprevalence in

COVID-19 screening of health-care workers in a London maternity hospital

Asymptomatic Transmission, the Achilles' Heel of Current Strategies to Control Covid-19

Evaluating the accuracy of different respiratory specimens in the laboratory diagnosis and monitoring the viral shedding of 2019-nCoV infections

We would like to thank Ms Jane Whitney-Smith (Chief Executive Officer, The PortlandHospital for Women and Children) and Gregory Bale (Acting Chief Operating Officer, The Portland Hospital for Women and Children) for their invaluable support.

A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t