Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures

Juliana Gonçalves; Rita L. Sousa; Maria J. Jacinto; Daniela A. Silva; Filipe Paula; Rute Sousa; Sara Zahedi; Joana Carvalho; M. Guadalupe Cabral; Manuela Costa; Jaime C. Branco; Helena Canhão; José D. Alves; Ana M. Rodrigues; Helena Soares

doi:10.3389/fmed.2020.603996

Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures

Juliana Gonçalves, Rita L. Sousa, Maria J. Jacinto, Daniela A. Silva, Filipe Paula, Rute Sousa, Sara Zahedi, Joana Carvalho, M. Guadalupe Cabral, Manuela Costa, Jaime C. Branco, Helena Canhão, José D. Alves, Ana M. Rodrigues, Helena Soares^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

16 Downloads

Abstract

Seroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.

Original language	English
Article number	603996
Number of pages	10
Journal	Frontiers in Medicine
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.603996
Publication status	Published - 18 Dec 2020

Keywords

IgA and IgG
Pauci/asymptomatic COVID-19 prevalence
Post-confinement community setting
SARS-CoV2
Serosurvey

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3389/fmed.2020.603996Licence: CC BY

27540194Final published version, 1.04 MBLicence: CC BY

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/32213Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Gonçalves, J., Sousa, R. L., Jacinto, M. J., Silva, D. A., Paula, F., Sousa, R., Zahedi, S., Carvalho, J., Cabral, M. G., Costa, M., Branco, J. C., Canhão, H., Alves, J. D., Rodrigues, A. M., & Soares, H. (2020). Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures. Frontiers in Medicine, 7, Article 603996. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.603996

@article{67874355174642c4b4231f073f8a031b,

title = "Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures",

abstract = "Seroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.",

keywords = "IgA and IgG, Pauci/asymptomatic COVID-19 prevalence, Post-confinement community setting, SARS-CoV2, Serosurvey",

author = "Juliana Gon{\c c}alves and Sousa, {Rita L.} and Jacinto, {Maria J.} and Silva, {Daniela A.} and Filipe Paula and Rute Sousa and Sara Zahedi and Joana Carvalho and Cabral, {M. Guadalupe} and Manuela Costa and Branco, {Jaime C.} and Helena Canh{\~a}o and Alves, {Jos{\'e} D.} and Rodrigues, {Ana M.} and Helena Soares",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Florian Krammer (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA) for kindly providing SARS-CoV-2 spike expression plasmids and Paula Alves, Pedro Cruz and Rute Castro (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnol{\'o}gica for protein production. We acknowledge Manuela Correia, Manuel Salvador and Carla C{\^a}mara for logistical support and Ant{\'o}nio Jacinto for institutional support. We were extremely grateful to the NOVA University rectory, to all the participants of the study and to the staff at Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Hospital Egas Moniz and of the NOVA University of Lisbon that made this study possible. Funding. This work was supported by FCT grants (PTDC/MEC-REU/29520/2017 to HS and CHRC UIDB/4923/2020, UIPD/4923/2020). JG, MJJ, and DAS are supported by FCT through PD/BD/128343/2017, PTDC/EGE-OGE/32573/2017, and PD/BD/137409/2018, respectively. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay was developed within the context of Serology4COVID consortium, in which IBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnol{\'o}gica) produced and purified the Spike protein. This initiative was supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's Emergency Fund for COVID-19, Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos and Oeiras Municipality. Funding Information: This work was supported by FCT grants (PTDC/MEC-REU/29520/2017 to HS and CHRC UIDB/4923/2020, UIPD/4923/2020). JG, MJJ, and DAS are supported by FCT through PD/BD/128343/2017, PTDC/EGE-OGE/32573/2017, and PD/BD/137409/2018, respectively. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay was developed within the context of Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2020 Gon{\c c}alves, Sousa, Jacinto, Silva, Paula, Sousa, Zahedi, Carvalho, Cabral, Costa, Branco, Canh{\~a}o, Alves, Rodrigues and Soares.",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

day = "18",

doi = "10.3389/fmed.2020.603996",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

journal = "Frontiers in Medicine",

issn = "2296-858X",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures

AU - Gonçalves, Juliana

AU - Sousa, Rita L.

AU - Jacinto, Maria J.

AU - Silva, Daniela A.

AU - Paula, Filipe

AU - Sousa, Rute

AU - Zahedi, Sara

AU - Carvalho, Joana

AU - Cabral, M. Guadalupe

AU - Costa, Manuela

AU - Branco, Jaime C.

AU - Canhão, Helena

AU - Alves, José D.

AU - Rodrigues, Ana M.

AU - Soares, Helena

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Florian Krammer (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA) for kindly providing SARS-CoV-2 spike expression plasmids and Paula Alves, Pedro Cruz and Rute Castro (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica for protein production. We acknowledge Manuela Correia, Manuel Salvador and Carla Câmara for logistical support and António Jacinto for institutional support. We were extremely grateful to the NOVA University rectory, to all the participants of the study and to the staff at Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Hospital Egas Moniz and of the NOVA University of Lisbon that made this study possible. Funding. This work was supported by FCT grants (PTDC/MEC-REU/29520/2017 to HS and CHRC UIDB/4923/2020, UIPD/4923/2020). JG, MJJ, and DAS are supported by FCT through PD/BD/128343/2017, PTDC/EGE-OGE/32573/2017, and PD/BD/137409/2018, respectively. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay was developed within the context of Serology4COVID consortium, in which IBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica) produced and purified the Spike protein. This initiative was supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's Emergency Fund for COVID-19, Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos and Oeiras Municipality. Funding Information: This work was supported by FCT grants (PTDC/MEC-REU/29520/2017 to HS and CHRC UIDB/4923/2020, UIPD/4923/2020). JG, MJJ, and DAS are supported by FCT through PD/BD/128343/2017, PTDC/EGE-OGE/32573/2017, and PD/BD/137409/2018, respectively. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay was developed within the context of Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2020 Gonçalves, Sousa, Jacinto, Silva, Paula, Sousa, Zahedi, Carvalho, Cabral, Costa, Branco, Canhão, Alves, Rodrigues and Soares.

PY - 2020/12/18

Y1 - 2020/12/18

N2 - Seroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.

AB - Seroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.

KW - IgA and IgG

KW - Pauci/asymptomatic COVID-19 prevalence

KW - Post-confinement community setting

KW - SARS-CoV2

KW - Serosurvey

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098626868&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/fmed.2020.603996

DO - 10.3389/fmed.2020.603996

M3 - Article

C2 - 33392225

AN - SCOPUS:85098626868

SN - 2296-858X

VL - 7

JO - Frontiers in Medicine

JF - Frontiers in Medicine

M1 - 603996

ER -

Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

CUBE: Católica Lisbon Research Unit in Business and Economics

Cite this

Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measures

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

CUBE: Católica Lisbon Research Unit in Business and Economics

Cite this