seroprevalence
noun
se·ro·prev·a·lence
ˌsir-ō-ˈpre-və-lən(t)s 
-ˈprev-lən(t)s
: the frequency of individuals in a population who have a particular element and especially antibodies to an infectious agent in their blood serum
Cases of the illness increased 9-fold in the US between 2000 and 2008, and the national seroprevalence is estimated to be 3.1%.—
The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationExamples of seroprevalence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Earlier in the pandemic, some experts and pundits drew on seroprevalence studies to suggest that Covid-19 may be less dangerous than feared, and that the virus could be left to spread widely until much of the population achieved immunity.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Jan. 2021
Global status of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and implications for pregnancy and congenital toxoplasmosis.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2011
For kids under the age of 12, seroprevalence rose from 44.2% to 75.2%.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2022
Among the states with reported data, Hawaii is the only state under 80% seroprevalence in children.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2022
Caribou showed low levels, with 6.5% seroprevalence, and polar bears’ seroprevalence fell about at the study’s midpoint, at 13.3%, the study said.
—Yereth Rosen, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Nov. 2022
The study estimates the country reached an overall seroprevalence rate of 96.7% − counting infections and vaccinations − by the end of 2022.
—Isabelle Butera, USA TODAY, 6 July 2023
Increasing seroprevalence has also changed how vaccine effectiveness is measured.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 3 July 2023
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most recent seroprevalence estimate for California — the overall share of residents thought to have been infected with the coronavirus at some point — was 55.5% in February.
—Luke Money, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2022
Nathaniel Scharping, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Jan. 2021
Global status of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and implications for pregnancy and congenital toxoplasmosis.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2011
For kids under the age of 12, seroprevalence rose from 44.2% to 75.2%.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2022
Among the states with reported data, Hawaii is the only state under 80% seroprevalence in children.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2022
Caribou showed low levels, with 6.5% seroprevalence, and polar bears’ seroprevalence fell about at the study’s midpoint, at 13.3%, the study said.
—Yereth Rosen, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Nov. 2022
The study estimates the country reached an overall seroprevalence rate of 96.7% − counting infections and vaccinations − by the end of 2022.
—Isabelle Butera, USA TODAY, 6 July 2023
Increasing seroprevalence has also changed how vaccine effectiveness is measured.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 3 July 2023
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most recent seroprevalence estimate for California — the overall share of residents thought to have been infected with the coronavirus at some point — was 55.5% in February.
—Luke Money, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seroprevalence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near seroprevalence
Cite this Entry
“Seroprevalence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seroprevalence. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
seroprevalence
noun
se·ro·prev·a·lence
-ˈprev(-ə)-lən(t)s
: the frequency of individuals in a population who have a particular element and especially antibodies to an infectious agent in their blood serum
In areas endemic for Lyme borreliosis, unrelated positive results may also represent seroprevalence, which stems mostly from earlier asymptomatic infection …—Robert R. Müllegger and Martin Glatz, American Journal of Dermatology
Robert R. Müllegger and Martin Glatz, American Journal of DermatologyLove words? Need even more definitions?
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