[Some medical staff positive for serum SARS coronavirus antibody IgG have only mild symptoms]

To identify patients with SARS coronavirus infection who have only mild symptoms.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect serum antibody against SARS coronavirus in the lysate of whole SARS coronavirus from 19 SARS patients and 200 medical staff members without obvious SARS symptoms after possible exposure to the virus during routine medical practice.

Serum IgG antibody against SARS coronavirus was detected in all the 19 SARS patients, and among the 200 staff members, 20 (10%) were found positive for the antibody but with no obvious or only mild symptoms.

Serum IgG antibody against SARS coronavirus is positive in a small proportion (around 10%) of the medical staff members exposed to the virus in our hospital, but may not cause obvious symptoms, suggesting SARS coronavirus infection might in some cases have mild or even no clinical manifestations.