Hossein Farshidi - نویسنده اول
Mehdi Hassaniazad - نویسنده دوم
Mahmood Hosseinpoor - نویسنده سوم
Abdollah Gharibzadeh - نویسنده چهارم
Amin Reza Nikpoor - نویسنده پنجم
Shokrollah Mohseni - نویسنده ششم

Background: To promote mitigation strategies and public health response, this study aimed to evaluate the population-based seroprevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ۲ (SARS-CoV-۲) antibodies in Hormozgan province.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted within ۱۰ districts of Hormozgan province with ۱۳۲۵ participants for three months by considering three-month successive follow-ups to evaluate the durability of humoral immunity. The participants completed the questionnaire, and blood samples were taken followed by immunoassay SARS-CoV-۲ ELISA testing.Results: In general, ۷۱۷ (۵۴.۱%) males and ۵۹۶ (۴۵.۹%) females participated in this study. In phase one, ۱۴۷ (۱۱.۱%) and ۱۸۲ (۱۴.۷%) tested positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, respectively. Upon three months, ۱۳.۸% and ۱۷.۸% tested positive for IgG and at least for one of the antibodies. Based on the results, ۶۰۶ (۴۵.۷%) cases reported no symptoms while ۶۷۳ (۵۰.۸%) of them reflected at least one. Among ۷۹۸ (۶۰.۲%) participants, the most common symptoms were headache (n = ۲۴۴, ۱۸.۴%), sore throat (n = ۱۸۶, ۱۴.۰%), weakness (n = ۱۵۰, ۱۱.۳%), muscular pain (n = ۱۳۹, ۱۰.۵%), and sputum cough (n = ۱۳۴, ۱۰.۱%). The odds of the antibodies in females was ۱.۳۷ (۹۵% CI: ۱.۰۳, ۱.۸۲, P = ۰.۰۳). In phase ۲, ۴۳ (۵.۳%) participants persisted positive for IgG while ۵۵۹ (۷۳%) tested negative for IgG. Finally, ۲۰% of the suffered participants tested positive for IgG until nine months.Conclusion: Although IgG antibodies decreased in the first six months, their titers persisted stable for nine months. It seems our population has not reached a desirable level of protection. It is stressed that mass vaccination is needed to prevent future epidemic waves.

COVID-۱۹ pandemic, Humoral immune response, Seroepidemiologic study, Antibodies