• Kai Schulze-Wundling, Patrick Frank Ottensmeyer, Kristin Maria Meyer-Schlinkmann, Marek Deckena, Stefan Krüger, Simon Schlinkert, Axel Budde, Dieter Münstermann, Nicole Töpfner, Astrid Petersmann, Matthias Nauck, André Karch, Berit Lange, Sabine Blaschke, Carsten Tiemann, and Hendrik Streeck.
• Institute of Virology, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University Bonn; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Locations: Bonn - Cologne, Hannover - Brunswick Medical Care Center Laboratory Krone GbR, Bad Salzuflen; dimap - Institute for Market and Political Research, Bonn; Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden; Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Oldenburg; Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Greifswald Medical School, and German; Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Location Greifswald, Greifswald Medical School; Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Westphalian Wilhelms University of Münster; Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen.
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2023 May 12; 120 (19): 337344337-344.

BackgroundEarly during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, national population-based seroprevalence surveys were conducted in some countries; however, this was not done in Germany. In particular, no seroprevalence surveys were planned for the summer of 2022. In the context of the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, the GUIDE study was carried out to estimate seroprevalence on the national and regional levels.MethodsTo obtain an overview of the population-wide immunity against SARS-CoV-2 among adults in Germany that would be as statistically robust as possible, serological tests were carried out using self-sampling dried blood spot cards in conjunction with surveys, one by telephone and one online. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to the S and N antigens of SARS-CoV-2.ResultsAmong the 15 932 participants, antibodies to the S antigen were detected in 95.7%, and to the N antigen in 44.4%. In the higher-risk age groups of persons aged 65 and above and persons aged 80 and above, anti-S antibodies were found in 97,4% and 98.8%, respectively. Distinct regional differences in the distribution of anti-S and anti-N antibodies emerged. Immunity gaps were found both regionally and in particular subgroups of the population. High anti-N antibody levels were especially common in eastern German states, and high anti-S antibody levels in western German states.ConclusionThese findings indicate that a large percentage of the adult German population has formed antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This will markedly lower the probability of an overburdening of the health care system by hospitalization and high occupancy of intensive care units due to future SARS-CoV-2 waves, depending on the viral characteristics of then prevailing variants.

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