Two serological approaches for detection of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in different scenarios: a screening tool and a point-of-care test

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2020-12, Vol.98 (4), p.115167-115167, Article 115167
• Main Authors: Hoste, Alexis C.R., Venteo, Angel, Fresco-Taboada, Alba, Tapia, Istar, Monedero, Alejandro, López, Lissette, Jebbink, Maarten F., Pérez-Ramírez, Elisa, Jimenez-Clavero, Miguel Angel, Almonacid, Mercedes, Muñoz, Patricia, Guinea, Jesus, Vela, Carmen, van der Hoek, Lia, Rueda, Paloma, Sastre, Patricia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Viral; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Betacoronavirus; Betacoronavirus - immunology; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Clinical Laboratory Techniques - methods; Common Cold; Common Cold - diagnosis; Common Cold - virology; Coronavirus Infections; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; COVID-19; COVID-19 Testing; Diagnosis; ELISA; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Female; General Medicine; Humans; Immunoassay; Immunoassay - methods; Infectious Diseases; LFA; Life sciences; Male; Mass Screening; Mass Screening - methods; Microbiologie; Microbiology; Microbiology (medical); Nucleocapsid Proteins; Nucleocapsid Proteins - immunology; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Point-of-Care Testing; SARS-CoV-2; Sciences du vivant; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serology; Virology
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115167

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has infected more than 8 million people worldwide, becoming a pandemic. Detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is of utmost importance and a good indicator of exposure and circulation of the virus within the general population. Two serological tools based on a double recognition assay [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DR-ELISA) and lateral flow assay (DR-LFA)] to detect total antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 have been developed based on the recombinant nucleocapsid protein. A total of 1065 serum samples, including positive for COVID-19 and negative samples from healthy donors or infected with other respiratory pathogens, were analyzed. The results showed values of sensitivity between 91.2% and 100%, and specificity of 100% and 98.2% for DR-LFA and DR-ELISA, respectively. No cross-reactivity against seasonal coronavirus (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43) was found. These results demonstrate the importance of serology as a complementary tool to polymerase chain reaction for follow-up of recovered patients and identification of asymptomatic individuals.