Abstract
Whether severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection can be asymptomatic is unclear. We examined the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV among 674 healthcare workers from a hospital in which a SARS outbreak had occurred. A total of 353 (52%) experienced mild self-limiting illnesses, and 321 (48%) were asymptomatic throughout the course of these observations. None of these healthcare workers had antibody to SARS CoV, indicating that subclinical or mild infection attributable to SARS-CoV in adults is rare.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Allied Health Personnel
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Antibodies, Viral / blood
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Communicable Diseases, Emerging / epidemiology*
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Communicable Diseases, Emerging / physiopathology
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Communicable Diseases, Emerging / transmission
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Coronavirus / immunology
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Coronavirus / isolation & purification
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Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
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Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
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Coronavirus Infections / transmission
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Disease Outbreaks*
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Female
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Hong Kong / epidemiology
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Humans
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Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Prospective Studies
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology*
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / physiopathology
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission