Low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in blood donors in the early COVID-19 epidemic in the Netherlands

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 5744
• Main Authors: Slot, Ed, Hogema, Boris M., Reusken, Chantal B. E. M., Reimerink, Johan H., Molier, Michel, Karregat, Jan H. M., IJlst, Johan, Novotný, Věra M. J., van Lier, René A. W., Zaaijer, Hans L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 12-11-2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 13/1; 631/250/255/2514; 631/326/2521; 631/326/596/4130; 692/700/478/174; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Asymptomatic Diseases - epidemiology; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Blood donors; Blood Donors - statistics & numerical data; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease control; Epidemics; Exposure; Health care; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immunoassay; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Netherlands; Outbreaks; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Social Isolation; Viral diseases; Viruses; Young Adult; Netherlands
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19481-7

The world is combating an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with health-care systems, society and economies impacted in an unprecedented way. It is unclear how many people have contracted the causative coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) unknowingly and are asymptomatic. Therefore, reported COVID-19 cases do not reflect the true scale of outbreak. Here we present the prevalence and distribution of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in a healthy adult population of the Netherlands, which is a highly affected country, using a high-performance immunoassay. Our results indicate that one month into the outbreak (i) the seroprevalence in the Netherlands was 2.7% with substantial regional variation, (ii) the hardest-hit areas showed a seroprevalence of up to 9.5%, (iii) the seroprevalence was sex-independent throughout age groups (18–72 years), and (iv) antibodies were significantly more often present in younger people (18–30 years). Our study provides vital information on the extent of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in a country where social distancing is in place.
The Netherlands is a country highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, Slot, Hogema and colleagues report a low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence one month into the outbreak and provide insights into virus exposure by region and age group when widespread non-pharmaceutical interventions are in place.