Cited by 124SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchRespiratory viral infections researchAnimal Virus Infections Studies

First infection by all four non-severe acute respiratory syndrome human coronaviruses takes place during childhood

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Zhou, Weimin, Wang, Wen, Wang, Huijuan, Lu, Roujian, Tan, Wenjie·2013·BMC Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Background: Non-severe acute respiratory syndrome (non-SARS)-related human coronaviruses (HCoVs), including HCoV-229E, -HKU1, -NL63, and -OC43, have been detected in respiratory tract samples from children and adults. However, the natural prevalence of antibodies against these viruses in serum among population is unknown. Methods: To measure antibodies to the spike (S) protein of the four common non-SARS HCoVs, recombinant S proteins of the four HCoVs were expressed and characterised in 293 T cell. An S-protein-based indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was then developed to detect anti-S IgG and IgM for the four individual HCoVs and applied to serum samples from a general asymptomatic population (218 children and 576 adults) in Beijing. Results: Of 794 blood samples tested, only 29 (3.65%) were negative for anti-S IgG. The seropositivity of the four anti-S IgG antibodies was >70% within the general population. The majority of seroconversions to four-HCoV positivity first occurred in children. Both S-IgG and S-IgM antibodies were detectable among children and increased with age, reaching a plateau at 6 years of age. However, no anti-S IgM was detected in healthy adults. Conclusion: Large proportions of children and adults in Beijing have evidence of anti-S IgG against four the HCoVs, and first infections by all four non-SARS HCoVs takes place during childhood.

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  1. [1]Lai MMC Perlman S Anderson LJ Fields BN Knipe DM Howley PM Coronaviridae Fields virology 2007 5 Philadelphia Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Press 1305 1335
  2. The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/13/433/prepub

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Authors
Zhou, W., Wang, W., Wang, H., Lu, R., & Tan, W.
Affiliations
Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CN)
Corresponding author
Tan, Wenjie
Venue
BMC Infectious Diseases
Published
2013-09-16
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
433-433
ISSN
1471-2334 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2025196919
Cited by
124
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 32 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2
FWCI
1.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Greater South Information System
Funders
  • Peking Union Medical College Hospital
  • Peking Union Medical College
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (2011CB504704)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Respiratory viral infections research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
Keywords
human coronaviruses, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, seroprevalence, seroconversion, pediatric infection, anti-spike IgG, asymptomatic infection, Beijing population
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Viral, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Infections, Young Adult

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