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Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection
. 2020 Nov 30:ciaa1785. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1785

Serologic testing of U.S. blood donations to identify SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies: December 2019-January 2020

Sridhar V Basavaraju1, Monica E Patton1, Kacie Grimm2, Mohammed Ata Ur Rasheed2, Sandra Lester2, Lisa Mills3, Megan Stumpf3, Brandi Freeman1, Azaibi Tamin1, Jennifer Harcourt1, Jarad Schiffer1, Vera Semenova1, Han Li1, Bailey Alston4, Muyiwa Ategbole6, Shanna Bolcen1, Darbi Boulay1, Peter Browning1, Li Cronin1, Ebenezer David7, Rita Desai1, Monica Epperson1, Yamini Gorantla6, Tao Jia1, Panagiotis Maniatis1, Kimberly Moss4, Kristina Ortiz4, So Hee Park4, Palak Patel7, Yunlong Qin4, Evelene Steward-Clark1, Heather Tatum6, Andrew Vogan4, Briana Zellner5, Jan Drobeniuc1, Matthew R P Sapiano1, Fiona Havers1, Carrie Reed1, Susan Gerber1, Natalie J Thornburg1,, Susan L Stramer2
PMCID: PMC7799215  PMID: 33252659

Abstract

Background

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, with subsequent worldwide spread. The first U.S. cases were identified in January 2020.

Methods

To determine if SARS-CoV-2 reactive antibodies were present in sera prior to the first identified case in the U.S. on January 19, 2020, residual archived samples from 7,389 routine blood donations collected by the American Red Cross from December 13, 2019 to January 17, 2020, from donors resident in nine states (California, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin) were tested at CDC for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Specimens reactive by pan-immunoglobulin (pan Ig) enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against the full spike protein were tested by IgG and IgM ELISAs, microneutralization test, Ortho total Ig S1 ELISA, and receptor binding domain / Ace2 blocking activity assay.

Results

Of the 7,389 samples, 106 were reactive by pan Ig. Of these 106 specimens, 90 were available for further testing. Eighty four of 90 had neutralizing activity, 1 had S1 binding activity, and 1 had receptor binding domain / Ace2 blocking activity >50%, suggesting the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies. Donations with reactivity occurred in all nine states.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may have been introduced into the United States prior to January 19, 2020.


Articles from Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

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