Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in France: Results from Nationwide Serological Surveillance

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2021 May 22

PMID 34021152

Citations 45

Authors

Stephane Le Vu

Gabrielle Jones

Francois Anna

Thierry Rose

Jean-Baptiste Richard

Sibylle Bernard-Stoecklin

Sophie Goyard

Caroline Demeret

Olivier Helynck

Nicolas Escriou

Marion Gransagne

Stephane Petres

Corinne Robin

Virgile Monnet

Louise Perrin De Facci

Marie-Noelle Ungeheuer

Lucie Leon

Yvonnick Guillois

Laurent Filleul

Pierre Charneau

Daniel Levy-Bruhl

Sylvie van der Werf

Harold Noel

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Assessment of the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections is critical for monitoring the course and extent of the COVID-19 epidemic. Here, we report estimated seroprevalence in the French population and the proportion of infected individuals who developed neutralising antibodies at three points throughout the first epidemic wave. Testing 11,000 residual specimens for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralising antibodies, we find nationwide seroprevalence of 0.41% (95% CI: 0.05-0.88) mid-March, 4.14% (95% CI: 3.31-4.99) mid-April and 4.93% (95% CI: 4.02-5.89) mid-May 2020. Approximately 70% of seropositive individuals have detectable neutralising antibodies. Infection fatality rate is 0.84% (95% CI: 0.70-1.03) and increases exponentially with age. These results confirm that the nationwide lockdown substantially curbed transmission and that the vast majority of the French population remained susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 in May 2020. Our study shows the progression of the first epidemic wave and provides a framework to inform the ongoing public health response as viral transmission continues globally.

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