Elsevier

Journal of Cystic Fibrosis

Volume 19, Issue 6, November 2020, Pages 872-874
Journal of Cystic Fibrosis

Short Communication
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a Belgian cohort of patients with cystic fibrosis

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2020.08.005Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

In Belgium, COVID-19 epidemy began on February 4, 2020 with a peak on April 10, 2020. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) followed in the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc were rapidly isolated before the government lockdown.

Methods

After the peak of the epidemy, we measured anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies in 149 patients and collected clinical data.

Results

Only 3 asymptomatic patients presented IgG against the virus. In one patient hospitalized for COVID-19 (positive molecular testing), we did not detect any anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, as in thirty-five other symptomatic patients considered as possible cases.

Conclusions

Even if respiratory symptoms linked to CF are frequent and compatible with COVID-19, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were detected only in 3 asymptomatic patients. This reassuring study concerning the risk of COVID-19 in patients with CF illustrates the difficulty to distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from respiratory exacerbations and the need of generalized molecular testing to make a precise diagnosis.

Keywords

Cystic fibrosis
SARS-CoV-2
Seroprevalence
COVID-19

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