Serological differentiation between COVID-19 and SARS infections.
Emerg Microbes Infect
; 9(1): 1497-1505, 2020 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-595010
ABSTRACT
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by SARS-CoV-2, multiple diagnostic tests are required for acute disease diagnosis, contact tracing, monitoring asymptomatic infection rates and assessing herd immunity. While PCR remains the frontline test of choice in the acute diagnostic setting, serological tests are urgently needed. Unlike PCR tests which are highly specific, cross-reactivity is a major challenge for COVID-19 antibody tests considering there are six other coronaviruses known to infect humans. SARS-CoV is genetically related to SARS-CoV-2 sharing approximately 80% sequence identity and both belong to the species SARS related coronavirus in the genus Betacoronavirus of family Coronaviridae. We developed and compared the performance of four different serological tests to comprehensively assess the cross-reactivity between COVID-19 and SARS patient sera. There is significant cross-reactivity when N protein of either virus is used. The S1 or RBD regions from the spike (S) protein offers better specificity. Amongst the different platforms, capture ELISA performed best. We found that SARS survivors all have significant levels of antibodies remaining in their blood 17 years after infection. Anti-N antibodies waned more than anti-RBD antibodies, and the latter is known to play a more important role in providing protective immunity.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Serologic Tests
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Clinical Laboratory Techniques
/
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
/
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
/
Betacoronavirus
/
Antibodies, Viral
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Emerg Microbes Infect
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
22221751.2020.1780951
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