September 29, 2020

COVID-19 Seroprevalence Surveys and Antibody Decline – A Note of Caution on Antibody Decline

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): immunity

• [Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Despite ongoing COVID-19 activity in Ontario, the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies did not change substantially (range 0.4% – 1.4% positive) between five surveys conducted from March to August 2020. Bolotin et al. analyzed residual clinical specimens and found that the geometric mean concentration of antibodies among the positive samples declined between June and August (p=0.015), suggesting that loss of anti-N antibodies over time may result in an underestimate of cumulative SARS-CoV-2 infections at the population level. This finding is supported further by an increase over time in the geometric mean concentration of anti-N antibodies in the samples that tested negative.

Bolotin et al. (Sept 29, 2020). COVID-19 Seroprevalence Surveys and Antibody Decline – A Note of Caution on Antibody Decline. Pre-print downloaded Sept 29 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.28.20200915