Article: Relative rates of non-pneumonic SARS coronavirus infection and SARS coronavirus pneumonia
| Title | Relative rates of non-pneumonic SARS coronavirus infection and SARS coronavirus pneumonia |
|---|---|
| Authors | Woo, PCY1 Lau, SKP1 Tsoi, HW1 Chan, KH1 Wong, BHL1 Che, XY3 Tam, VKP1 Tam, SCF2 Cheng, VCC1 Hung, IFN1 Wong, SSY1 Zheng, BJ1 Guan, Y1 Yuen, KY1 |
| Issue Date | 2004 |
| Publisher | The Lancet Publishing Group. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/lancet |
| Citation | Lancet, 2004, v. 363 n. 9412, p. 841-845 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15729-2 |
| Abstract | Background Although the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been sequenced and a possible animal reservoir identified, seroprevalence studies and mass screening for detection of subclinical and non-pneumonic infections are still lacking. Methods We cloned and purified the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV and examined their immunogenicity with serum from patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. An ELISA based on recombinant nucleocapsid protein for IgG detection was tested with serum from 149 healthy blood donors who donated 3 years previously and with serum positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV (by indirect immunofluorescence assay) from 106 patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV was studied with the ELISA in healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, non-pneumonic hospital inpatients, and symptom-free health-care workers. All positive samples were confirmed by two separate western-blot assays (with recombinant nucleocapsid protein and recombinant spike polypeptide). Findings Western-blot analysis showed that the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV are highly immunogenic. The specificity of the IgG antibody test (ELISA with positive samples confirmed by the two western-blot assays) was 100%, and the sensitivity was 94·3%. Three of 400 healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak and one of 131 non-pneumonic paediatric inpatients were positive for IgG antibodies, confirmed by the two western-blot assays (total, 0·48% of our study population). Interpretation Our findings support the existence of subclinical or non-pneumonic SARS-CoV infections. Such infections are more common than SARS-CoV pneumonia in our locality. |
| ISSN | 0140-6736 2011 Impact Factor: 38.278 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.486 |
| DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15729-2 |
| References | References in Scopus |
| dc.contributor.author | Woo, PCY |
|---|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Lau, SKP |
| dc.contributor.author | Tsoi, HW |
| dc.contributor.author | Chan, KH |
| dc.contributor.author | Wong, BHL |
| dc.contributor.author | Che, XY |
| dc.contributor.author | Tam, VKP |
| dc.contributor.author | Tam, SCF |
| dc.contributor.author | Cheng, VCC |
| dc.contributor.author | Hung, IFN |
| dc.contributor.author | Wong, SSY |
| dc.contributor.author | Zheng, BJ |
| dc.contributor.author | Guan, Y |
| dc.contributor.author | Yuen, KY |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2010-09-06T07:52:53Z |
| dc.date.available | 2010-09-06T07:52:53Z |
| dc.date.issued | 2004 |
| dc.description.abstract | Background Although the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been sequenced and a possible animal reservoir identified, seroprevalence studies and mass screening for detection of subclinical and non-pneumonic infections are still lacking. Methods We cloned and purified the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV and examined their immunogenicity with serum from patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. An ELISA based on recombinant nucleocapsid protein for IgG detection was tested with serum from 149 healthy blood donors who donated 3 years previously and with serum positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV (by indirect immunofluorescence assay) from 106 patients with SARS-CoV pneumonia. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV was studied with the ELISA in healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, non-pneumonic hospital inpatients, and symptom-free health-care workers. All positive samples were confirmed by two separate western-blot assays (with recombinant nucleocapsid protein and recombinant spike polypeptide). Findings Western-blot analysis showed that the nucleocapsid protein and spike polypeptide of SARS-CoV are highly immunogenic. The specificity of the IgG antibody test (ELISA with positive samples confirmed by the two western-blot assays) was 100%, and the sensitivity was 94·3%. Three of 400 healthy blood donors who donated during the SARS outbreak and one of 131 non-pneumonic paediatric inpatients were positive for IgG antibodies, confirmed by the two western-blot assays (total, 0·48% of our study population). Interpretation Our findings support the existence of subclinical or non-pneumonic SARS-CoV infections. Such infections are more common than SARS-CoV pneumonia in our locality. |
| dc.description.nature | Link_to_subscribed_fulltext |
| dc.identifier.citation | Lancet, 2004, v. 363 n. 9412, p. 841-845 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15729-2 |
| dc.identifier.doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15729-2 |
| dc.identifier.epage | 845 |
| dc.identifier.hkuros | 87953 |
| dc.identifier.isi | WOS:000220231500008 |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0140-6736 2011 Impact Factor: 38.278 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.486 |
| dc.identifier.issue | 9412 |
| dc.identifier.openurl | ![]() |
| dc.identifier.pmid | 15031027 |
| dc.identifier.scopus | eid_2-s2.0-12144286541 |
| dc.identifier.spage | 841 |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/79289 |
| dc.identifier.volume | 363 |
| dc.language | eng |
| dc.publisher | The Lancet Publishing Group. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/lancet |
| dc.publisher.place | United Kingdom |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Lancet |
| dc.relation.references | References in Scopus |
| dc.subject.mesh | Blood Donors |
| dc.subject.mesh | Blotting, Western |
| dc.subject.mesh | China - epidemiology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Coronavirus - genetics - isolation & purification |
| dc.subject.mesh | Cross Infection - epidemiology - immunology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay |
| dc.subject.mesh | Humans |
| dc.subject.mesh | Immunoglobulin G - analysis - immunology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Membrane Glycoproteins - analysis |
| dc.subject.mesh | Nucleocapsid Proteins - genetics - immunology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology - immunology - virology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Recombinant Proteins - analysis - immunology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Seroepidemiologic Studies |
| dc.subject.mesh | Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - epidemiology - immunology - virology |
| dc.subject.mesh | Viral Envelope Proteins - analysis |
| dc.title | Relative rates of non-pneumonic SARS coronavirus infection and SARS coronavirus pneumonia |
| dc.type | Article |
Author Affiliations
- The University of Hong Kong
- Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong
- Zhujiang Hospital


