SARS-related Virus Predating SARS Outbreak, Hong Kong

SARS-related Virus Predating SARS Outbreak, Hong Kong

Bo-Jian Zheng, Yi Guan, Ka Hing Wong, Jie Zhou, Kin Ling Wong, Betty Wan Y. Young, Liwei Lu, Shui Shan Lee

Using immunofluorescence and neutralization assays, we detected antibodies to human severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and/or animal SARS-CoV–like virus in 17 (1.8%) of 938 adults recruited in 2001. This finding suggests that a small proportion of healthy persons in Hong Kong had been exposed to SARS-related viruses at least 2 years before the recent SARS outbreak.

2004

SARS, SARS-related virus, previous exposure, serologic study, dispatch, Hong Kong

DOI: 10.3201/eid1002.030533

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine

EN