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. 2022 Mar:116:289-292.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.041. Epub 2022 Jan 22.

Long-term detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after infection and risk of re-infection

Bo Langhoff Hønge  1 , Lotte Hindhede  2 , Kathrine Agergård Kaspersen  3 , Lene Holm Harritshøj  4 , Susan Mikkelsen  2 , Dorte Kinggaard Holm  5 , Anna Christine Nilsson  5 , Susanne Gjørup Sækmose  6 , Erik Sørensen  4 , Bitten Aagaard  7 , Henrik Hjalgrim  8 , Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen  9 , Tyra Grove Krause  10 , Henrik Ullum  11 , Ole Birger Vestager Pedersen  12 , Sisse Rye Ostrowski  13 , Christian Erikstrup  14
Affiliations

Long-term detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after infection and risk of re-infection

Bo Langhoff Hønge et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate long-term sensitivity for detection of total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 METHODS: From week 41, 2020, through week 26, 2021, all Danish blood donations were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the Wantai assay. The results were linked with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results from the Danish Microbiological Database (MiBa).

Results: During the study period, 105,646 non-vaccinated Danish blood donors were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and 3,806 (3.6%) had a positive PCR test before the blood donation. Among the donors with a positive PCR test, 94.2% subsequently also had a positive antibody test. The time between the positive PCR test and the antibody test was up to 15 months and there was no evidence of a decline in proportion with detectable antibodies over time. A negative serological result test was associated with a higher incidence of re-infection (Incidence Rate Ratio = 0.102 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.039-0.262)).

Conclusion: Among healthy blood donors, 94.2% developed SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after infection, and a lack of detectable antibodies was associated with re-infection.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Wantai; blood donors; sensitivity; seroprevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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