seronegative

[seer-oh-neg-uh-tiv]

adjective

Medicine/Medical.

1. showing no significant level of serum antibodies, or other immunologic marker in the serum, that would indicate previous exposure to the infectious agent being tested.

seronegative

/ ˌsɪərəʊˈnɛɡətɪv /

adjective

1. (of a person whose blood has been tested for a specific disease, such as AIDS) showing no serological reaction indicating the presence of the disease

Word History and Origins

Origin of seronegative¹

First recorded in 1930–35; sero- + negative

Example Sentences

In 2014, the rheumatologist diagnosed possible seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, an uncommon form of the disease.

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They found evidence to support this theory: a far higher proportion of the seronegative participants had T cells that recognize this complex than did health-care workers who got COVID-19.

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The researchers noticed that in 20 of these ‘seronegative’ participants, T cells had multiplied—a sign that the immune system might be gearing up to fight an infection.

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Of those eligible patients, antibody testing will initially be used to determine whether they are seronegative - meaning those who do not have an adequate existing antibody response - and will therefore be eligible for treatment.

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About one third of the patients were seronegative when they entered the trial, meaning they did not produce antibodies themselves.

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