Heike Weisser1, Katja Steinhagen2, Ralf Höcker1, Viola Borchardt-Lohölter2, Özlem Anvari3, Peter M Kern4. 1. Institute of Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Marburg - Campus Fulda, Fulda, Germany. 2. Institute for Experimental Immunology, affiliated to EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, Lübeck, Germany. 3. Hospital St. Josef, Schweinfurth, Germany. 4. Medical Clinic IV, University Medicine Marburg - Campus Fulda, Fulda, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: During the current pandemic, antibody testing based on venous serum helps to determine whether the tested person has been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Alternatively, capillary blood can be taken via a finger prick (dried blood spots, DBS). In this study, paired DBS and venipuncture samples were tested using two serological assays to evaluate the usability of DBS for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. METHODS: Paired samples of DBS and venous serum were collected from 389 volunteers, of whom 75 had a recent PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against both viral S1 and nucleocapsid protein (NCP) antigens using two ELISAs. Degree of agreement and correlation coefficients between ELISA results based on the two sampling methods were calculated. RESULTS: Results of DBS showed almost perfect agreement and high correlations with results from corresponding serum samples in both the S1-based ELISA and the NCP-based ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: ELISA results derived from DBS showed very high agreement to those obtained with serum, supposing adequate usability and robustness of DBS as sample material for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In the near future, large-scale epidemiological screening for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 will be carried out. Since DBS reduce the strain on healthcare institutions regarding sample collection, they have a potential to facilitate efficient community- and population-based screening in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
OBJECTIVES: During the current pandemic, antibody testing based on venous serum helps to determine whether the tested person has been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Alternatively, capillary blood can be taken via a finger prick (dried blood spots, DBS). In this study, paired DBS and venipuncture samples were tested using two serological assays to evaluate the usability of DBS for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. METHODS: Paired samples of DBS and venous serum were collected from 389 volunteers, of whom 75 had a recent PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against both viral S1 and nucleocapsid protein (NCP) antigens using two ELISAs. Degree of agreement and correlation coefficients between ELISA results based on the two sampling methods were calculated. RESULTS: Results of DBS showed almost perfect agreement and high correlations with results from corresponding serum samples in both the S1-based ELISA and the NCP-based ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: ELISA results derived from DBS showed very high agreement to those obtained with serum, supposing adequate usability and robustness of DBS as sample material for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In the near future, large-scale epidemiological screening for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 will be carried out. Since DBS reduce the strain on healthcare institutions regarding sample collection, they have a potential to facilitate efficient community- and population-based screening in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Authors: Janneke D M Verberk; Marieke L A de Hoog; Ilse Westerhof; Sam van Goethem; Christine Lammens; Greet Ieven; Erwin de Bruin; Dirk Eggink; Julia A Bielicki; Samuel Coenen; Janko van Beek; Marc J M Bonten; Herman Goossens; Patricia C J L Bruijning-Verhagen Journal: Eur J Epidemiol Date: 2022-05-28 Impact factor: 12.434
Authors: Hannah L Itell; Haidyn Weight; Carolyn S Fish; Jennifer K Logue; Nicholas Franko; Caitlin R Wolf; Denise J McCulloch; Jared Galloway; Frederick A Matsen; Helen Y Chu; Julie Overbaugh Journal: Microbiol Spectr Date: 2021-10-20
Authors: Beth Catlett; Mitchell Starr; Dorothy A Machalek; Thidarat Danwilai; Michael Palmer; Andrew Kelly; John Kaldor; Gregory J Dore; David Darley; Gail Matthews; Philip H Cunningham Journal: J Clin Virol Plus Date: 2022-06-24
Authors: Eline Meyers; Anja Coen; An De Sutter; Elizaveta Padalko; Steven Callens; Linos Vandekerckhove; Wojciech Witkowski; Stefan Heytens; Piet Cools Journal: J Clin Virol Date: 2022-08-19 Impact factor: 14.481
Authors: Joshua Zarbl; Ekaterina Eimer; Camilla Gigg; Gerlinde Bendzuck; Marianne Korinth; Corinna Elling-Audersch; Arnd Kleyer; David Simon; Sebastian Boeltz; Martin Krusche; Johanna Mucke; Felix Muehlensiepen; Nicolas Vuillerme; Gerhard Krönke; Georg Schett; Johannes Knitza Journal: RMD Open Date: 2022-09