Serologic responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection among hospital staff with mild disease in eastern France
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The serologic response of individuals with mild forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection is poorly characterized. METHODS: Hospital staff who had recovered from mild forms of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using two assays: a rapid immunodiagnostic test (99.4% specificity) and the S-Flow assay (~99% specificity). The neutralizing activity of the sera was tested with a pseudovirus-based assay. FINDINGS: Of 162 hospital staff who participated in the investigation, 160 reported SARS-CoV-2 infection that had not required hospital admission and were included in these analyses. The median time from symptom onset to blood sample collection was 24 days (IQR: 21-28, range 13-39). The rapid immunodiagnostic test detected antibodies in 153 (95.6%) of the samples and the S-Flow assay in 159 (99.4%), failing to detect antibodies in one sample collected 18 days after symptom onset (the rapid test did not detect antibodies in that patient). Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) were detected in 79%, 92% and 98% of samples collected 13-20, 21-27 and 28-41 days after symptom onset, respectively (P = 0.02). INTERPRETATION: Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in virtually all hospital staff sampled from 13 days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. This finding supports the use of serologic testing for the diagnosis of individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The neutralizing activity of the antibodies increased overtime. Future studies will help assess the persistence of the humoral response and its associated neutralization capacity in recovered patients. FUNDINGS: The funders had no role in study design, data collection, interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The positivity threshold of the S-Flow assay was defined as specific binding above 40%, determined after testing 253 pre-pandemic samples.
“After testing 253 pre-pandemic samples, the positivity of a sample was defined as a specific binding above 40%.”
From Sensitivity of infectious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants to neutralizing antibodies (2021) · cites this paper as [33]
The S-Flow serological assay, assessed with the Wuhan S protein on 253 pre-pandemic samples and 377 RT-qPCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 samples, has a sensitivity of 99.2% (95% CI 97.69-99.78%) and a specificity of 100% (98.5-100%).
“The specificity and sensitivity of the S-Flow serological assay were originally assessed with the Wuhan S protein using 253 pre-pandemic samples and 377 RT-qPCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 samples.The sensitivity is 99.2% with a 95% confidence interval of 97.69-99.78%and the specificity is 100% (98.5-100%) 33,35 .”
From Sensitivity of infectious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants to neutralizing antibodies (2021) · cites this paper as [33]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Hoffmann, M., Kleine-Weber, H., Schroeder, S., Krüger, N., Herrler, T., Erichsen, S., Schiergens, T. S., Herrler, G., Wu, N.-H., Nitsche, A., et al. (2020) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.052 · Cited by 20,286 · see citing works
Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019
Wölfel, R., Corman, V. M., Guggemos, W., Seilmaier, M., Zange, S., Müller, M. A., Niemeyer, D., Jones, T. C., Vollmar, P., Rothe, C., et al. (2020) · Nature · doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2196-x · Cited by 6,661 · see citing works
Estimates of the severity of coronavirus disease 2019: a model-based analysis
Verity, R., Okell, L. C., Dorigatti, I., Winskill, P., Whittaker, C., Imai, N., Cuomo-Dannenburg, G., Thompson, H., Walker, P. G. T., Fu, H., et al. (2020) · The Lancet Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30243-7 · Cited by 3,660 · see citing works
Ou, X., Liu, Y., Lei, X., Li, P., Mi, D., Ren, L., Guo, L., Guo, R., Chen, T., Hu, J., et al. (2020) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15562-9 · Cited by 3,097 · see citing works
To, K. K., Tsang, O. T.-Y., Leung, W.-S., Tam, A. R., Wu, T.-C., Lung, D. C., Yip, C. C., Cai, J., Chan, J. M., Chik, T. S., et al. (2020) · The Lancet Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30196-1 · Cited by 3,045 · see citing works
Clinical and immunological assessment of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections
Long, Q.-X., Tang, X.-J., Shi, Q.-L., Li, Q., Deng, H.-J., Yuan, J., Hu, J.-L., Xu, W., Zhang, Y., Lv, F.-J., et al. (2020) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0965-6 · Cited by 2,686 · see citing works
Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Patients With Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019
Zhao, J., Yuan, Q., Wang, H., Liu, W., Liao, X., Su, Y., Wang, X., Yuan, J., Li, T., Li, J., et al. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa344 · Cited by 2,607 · see citing works
A serological assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in humans
(2020) · doi:10.1101/2020.03.17.20037713 · Cited by 1,769 · see citing works
A serological assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in humans
Amanat, F., Stadlbauer, D., Strohmeier, S., Nguyen, T. H. O., Chromikova, V., McMahon, M., Jiang, K., Arunkumar, G. A., Jurczyszak, D., Polanco, J., et al. (2020) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0913-5 · Cited by 1,769 · see citing works
Okba, N. M. A., Müller, M. A., Li, W., Wang, C., GeurtsvanKessel, C. H., Corman, V. M., Lamers, M. M., Sikkema, R. S., de Bruin, E., Chandler, F. D., et al. (2020) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2607.200841 · Cited by 1,614 · see citing works
Profiling Early Humoral Response to Diagnose Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Guo, L., Ren, L., Yang, S., Xiao, M., Chang, D., Yang, F., Cruz, C. S. D., Wang, Y., Wu, C., Xiao, Y., et al. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa310 · Cited by 1,585 · see citing works
Estimating the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in France
Salje, H., Tran Kiem, C., Lefrancq, N., Courtejoie, N., Bosetti, P., Paireau, J., Andronico, A., Hozé, N., Richet, J., Dubost, C.-L., et al. (2020) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.abc3517 · Cited by 1,038 · see citing works
Self-citationSARS-CoV-2 infection protects against rechallenge in rhesus macaques
Chandrashekar, A., Liu, J., Martinot, A. J., McMahan, K., Mercado, N. B., Peter, L., Tostanoski, L. H., Yu, J., Maliga, Z., Nekorchuk, M., et al. (2020) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.abc4776 · Cited by 816 · cited 1× · see citing works
“In a monkey model, protection from a second SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with the presence of neutralizing antibodies in the serum([16] and pre-print publication [17]).”
Wu, F., Wang, A., Liu, M., Wang, Q., Chen, J., Xia, S., Ling, Y., Zhang, Y., Xun, J., Lu, L., et al. (2020) · doi:10.1101/2020.03.30.20047365 · Cited by 754 · see citing works
Bernard-Stoecklin, S., Rolland, P., Silué, Y., Mailles, A., Campese, C., Simondon, A., Mechain, M., Meurice, L., Nguyen, M., Bassi, C., et al. (2020) · Eurosurveillance · doi:10.2807/1560-7917.es.2020.25.6.2000094 · Cited by 539 · see citing works
The potential danger of suboptimal antibody responses in COVID-19
Iwasaki, A., & Yang, Y.-X. (2020) · Nature reviews. Immunology · doi:10.1038/s41577-020-0321-6 · Cited by 510 · see citing works
Convalescent plasma treatment of severe COVID-19: a propensity score–matched control study
Liu, S. T. H., Lin, H.-M., Baine, I. L., Wajnberg, A., Gumprecht, J. P., Rahman, F., Rodriguez, D., Tandon, P., Bassily‐Marcus, A., Bander, J. A., et al. (2020) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-020-1088-9 · Cited by 486 · see citing works
Lack of Reinfection in Rhesus Macaques Infected with SARS-CoV-2
Bao, L., Deng, W., Gao, H., Xiao, C., Liu, J., Xue, J., Lv, Q., Liu, J., Yu, P., Xu, Y., et al. (2020) · doi:10.1101/2020.03.13.990226 · Cited by 419 · see citing works
Serology assays to manage COVID-19
Krammer, F., & Simon, V. R. (2020) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.abc1227 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
Grzelak, L., Temmam, S., Planchais, C., Demeret, C., Tondeur, L., Huon, C., Guivel-Benhassine, F., Staropoli, I., Chazal, M., Dufloo, J., et al. (2020) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abc3103 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Self-citationFeasibility of Using Convalescent Plasma Immunotherapy for MERS-CoV Infection, Saudi Arabia
Arabi, Y. M., Hajeer, A. H., Luke, T. C., Raviprakash, K. S., Balkhy, H. H., Johani, S. A., Al‐Dawood, A., Al-Qahtani, S. M., Al‐Omari, A., Al-Hameed, F. M., et al. (2016) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2209.151164 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
MERS-CoV Antibody Responses 1 Year after Symptom Onset, South Korea, 2015
Choe, P. G., Perera, R. A. P. M., Park, W. B., Song, K.-H., Bang, J. H., Kim, E. S., Kim, H. B., Ko, L. W. R., Park, S. W., Kim, N.-J., et al. (2017) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2307.170310 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Mo, H.-Y., Zeng, G., Ren, X., Li, H., Ke, C., Tan, Y.-X., Chaoda, C. A. I., Lai, K., Chen, R., Chan‐Yeung, M., et al. (2006) · Respirology · doi:10.1111/j.1440-1843.2006.00783.x · Cited by 188 · see citing works
Kinetics of Serologic Responses to MERS Coronavirus Infection in Humans, South Korea
Park, W. B., Perera, R. A. P. M., Choe, P. G., Lau, E. H. Y., Choi, S. J., Chun, J. Y., Oh, H. S., Song, K., Bang, J. H., Kim, E. S., et al. (2015) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2112.151421 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
Brochot, É., Demey, B., Touzé, A., Belouzard, S., Dubuisson, J., Schmit, J. L., Duverlie, G., François, C., Castelain, S., & Helle, F. (2020) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.584251 · Cited by 146 · see citing works
Convalescent plasma treatment of severe COVID-19: A matched control studyPreprint
Liu, S. T. H., Lin, H., Baine, I. L., et al. (2020) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2020.05.20.20102236 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Wajnberg, A., Mansour, M., Leven, E. A., et al. (2020) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2020.04.30.20085613 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Grzelak, L., Temmam, S., Planchais, C., et al. (2020) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2020.04.21.20068858 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Self-citationMemish, Z. A., Assiri, A. M., & Al‐Tawfiq, J. A. (2014) · International Journal of Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2014.10.002 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Velay, A., Gallais, F., Benotmane, I., Wendling, M.-J., Danion, F., Collange, O., Seze, J. D., Schmidt‐Mutter, C., Schneider, F., Bilbault, P., et al. (2020) · Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease · doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115181 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationBrochot, É., Demey, B., Touzé, A., et al. (2020) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2020.05.12.20098236 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
The ICAReB Platform: A Human Biobank for the Institut Pasteur and Beyond
Esterre, P., Ait-Saadi, A., Arowas, L., Chaouche, S., Corre-Catelin, N., Fanaud, C., Laude, H., Mellon, V., Monceaux, V., Morizot, G., et al. (2020) · Open Journal of Bioresources · doi:10.5334/ojb.66 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Self-citationVelay, A., Gallais, F., Benotmane, I., et al. (2020) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2020.06.16.156166 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Reduced sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 variant Delta to antibody neutralization
Planas, D., Veyer, D., Baidaliuk, A., Staropoli, I., Guivel-Benhassine, F., Rajah, M. M., Planchais, C., Porrot, F., Robillard, N., Puech, J., et al. (2021) · Nature · doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03777-9 · Cited by 1,992 · see citing works
Self-citationSensitivity of infectious SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants to neutralizing antibodies
Planas, D., Bruel, T., Grzelak, L., Guivel-Benhassine, F., Staropoli, I., Porrot, F., Planchais, C., Buchrieser, J., Rajah, M. M., Bishop, E., et al. (2021) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-021-01318-5 · Cited by 697 · see citing works
Self-citationGrzelak, L., Temmam, S., Planchais, C., Demeret, C., Tondeur, L., Huon, C., Guivel-Benhassine, F., Staropoli, I., Chazal, M., Dufloo, J., et al. (2020) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abc3103 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Self-citationAsymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections elicit polyfunctional antibodies
Dufloo, J., Grzelak, L., Staropoli, I., Madec, Y., Tondeur, L., Anna, F., Pelleau, S., Wiedemann, A., Planchais, C., Buchrieser, J., et al. (2021) · Cell Reports Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100275 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationAnti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Persist for up to 13 Months and Reduce Risk of Reinfection
Gallais, F., Gantner, P., Bruel, T., Velay, A., Planas, D., Wendling, M.-J., Bayer, S., Solis, M., Laugel, E., Reix, N., et al. (2021) · doi:10.1101/2021.05.07.21256823 · Cited by 240 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Fafi-Kremer, S., Bruel, T., Madec, Y., Grant, R., Tondeur, L., Grzelak, L., Staropoli, I., Anna, F., Souque, P., Fernandes-Pellerin, S., Jolly, N., Renaudat, C., Ungeheuer, M.-N., Schmidt-Mutter, C., Collongues, N., Bolle, A., Velay, A., Lefebvre, N., Mielcarek, M., Meyer, N., Rey, D., Charneau, P., Hoen, B., De Seze, J., Schwartz, O., & Fontanet, A.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Institut Pasteur (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (FR)
- Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Bruel, Timothée
- ORCID
- Venue
- eBioMedicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-09
- Volume
- 59
- Pages
- 102915
- ISSN
- 2352-3964 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7502660
- OpenAlex
- W3046548218
- Cited by
- 108
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 32
- FWCI
- 3.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- EBioMedicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Gilead Sciences
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Keywords
- SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, mild COVID-19, serological response, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, neutralizing antibodies, hospital staff, serological diagnosis, humoral immune response, antibody persistence
- MeSH terms
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Antibodies, Viral, Female, France, Health Personnel, Hospitals, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral, RNA, Viral, Serologic Tests, Severity of Illness Index, Coronavirus Infections, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Pandemics
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
