COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in a Blood Bank in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic individuals in a blood bank in southern Brazil.Methods: 1015 serological analyses were performed between November 2020 and March 2021 in Joinville, Brazil, to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and the results were correlated with the participants' age, gender, city and neighborhood. Results:The seroprevalence of total antibodies was 40.4%, with reagent IgM detected in 9.4% of cases, IgG in 18.5% and both immunoglobulins in 12.5%. The presence of antibodies was higher, but without statistical significance, in males, corresponding to 40.9% of the samples, against 39.7% in females. Conclusions:Our data suggests a high seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic individuals in the analyzed period. In this context, it is important to highlight the epidemiological moment as a relevant variable. Nevertheless, controlling the spread of the virus remains a challenge when considering the large number of asymptomatic carriers.