Seroprevalence of Immunoglobulin M and G Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Virus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a new global health threat.\n\n\nOBJECTIVES\nto analyze the effectiveness of the measurement of specific antibodies to SARS-CoV2 (IgM and IgG) for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and to analyze the rate of SARS-CoV2 seroprevalence in the population.\n\n\nMETHODS\n11 relevant studies, published before June 5, 2020, were included in this meta-analysis. These studies were identified by searching the MEDLINE and Scopus databases. The final selected studies were analyzed using STATA version 14. Publication bias was examined using both Egger s test and Funnel plots. Moreover, the I² statistic has been used to evaluate and verify heterogeneity.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe 11 relevant studies selected for the present meta-analysis cover a total of 996 infection cases. According to the results, the average rate of positive cases for IgM (AU/mL) was 2.10 (95% CI: 1.65-2.55; I2=92.2%), and the sensitivity in individuals with positive IgM test was 63% (95% CI: 47-79; I2=94.9%). In addition, the average rate of positive cases for IgG (AU/mL) was 67.44 (95% CI: 28.79-106.09; I2=99.4%), and the sensitivity in individuals with positive IgG test was 79% (95% CI: 67-90; I2=89.5%).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nAccording to this analysis, detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies may assist early detection of SARS-CoV2 infection. Whether antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 confer protective immunity warrants further studies.