Seroprevalence of antibody to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus among health care workers in SARS and non-SARS medical wards.

Abstract

The seroprevalence of antibody to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in cohorts of health care workers (HCWs) with subclinical infection in SARS and non-SARS medical wards was 2.3% (3 of 131 HCWs) and 0% (0 of 192 HCWs), respectively. Rates for clinical SARS-CoV infection among 742 HCWs on these wards were highest among nurses (11.6%) and health care assistants (11.8%), indicating that these occupations are associated with the highest risks for exposure.