tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Med Insights Circ Respir Pulm Med
. 2022 Apr 5;16:11795484221075492.
doi: 10.1177/11795484221075492. eCollection 2022.
Detection of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid and Spike Antibodies in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Japan
Hiroshi Furukawa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shomi Oka[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Takashi Higuchi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Miho Yamaguchi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shota Uchiyama[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Tomohiro Koiwa[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Moriyuki Nakama[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masaaki Minegishi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Hideaki Nagai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shigeto Tohma[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Serological testing for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) antibodies (Abs) and anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) Abs is performed to detect prior COVID-19 infection. It is still controversial which antibodies are the most sensitive and specific, and which can be detected earliest after infection. Here, we evaluated the results of serological tests of anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs in Japan.
Methods: Symptomatic COVID-19 patients (n = 84) and control patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 93) were recruited at Tokyo National Hospital. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs were measured by commercial electrochemiluminescence immunoassays.
Results: The fraction of patients positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs was highest >14 days after symptom onset. The frequency of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S Ab positivity at this time (80.4%) tended to be slightly but not significantly lower than anti-SARS-CoV-2 N Ab positivity (84.8%). Optimized cut-off levels for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Ab positivity were lower than the manufacturer's recommended cut-off levels. Using multiple linear regression analyzes with anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs, we created an Ab-index with high sensitivity.
Conclusion: To increase the sensitivity of serological diagnostic tests for COVID-19, it is suggested that both anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs should be measured and cut-off levels decreased.
Keywords: COVID-19; anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody; electrochemiluminescence immunoassay; nucleocapsid; spike.
. 2022 Apr 5;16:11795484221075492.
doi: 10.1177/11795484221075492. eCollection 2022.
Detection of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid and Spike Antibodies in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Japan
Hiroshi Furukawa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shomi Oka[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Takashi Higuchi[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Miho Yamaguchi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shota Uchiyama[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Tomohiro Koiwa[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Moriyuki Nakama[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masaaki Minegishi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Hideaki Nagai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shigeto Tohma[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35401020
- PMCID: PMC8990541
- DOI: 10.1177/11795484221075492
Abstract
Objectives: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Serological testing for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) antibodies (Abs) and anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) Abs is performed to detect prior COVID-19 infection. It is still controversial which antibodies are the most sensitive and specific, and which can be detected earliest after infection. Here, we evaluated the results of serological tests of anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs in Japan.
Methods: Symptomatic COVID-19 patients (n = 84) and control patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 93) were recruited at Tokyo National Hospital. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs were measured by commercial electrochemiluminescence immunoassays.
Results: The fraction of patients positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs was highest >14 days after symptom onset. The frequency of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S Ab positivity at this time (80.4%) tended to be slightly but not significantly lower than anti-SARS-CoV-2 N Ab positivity (84.8%). Optimized cut-off levels for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Ab positivity were lower than the manufacturer's recommended cut-off levels. Using multiple linear regression analyzes with anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs, we created an Ab-index with high sensitivity.
Conclusion: To increase the sensitivity of serological diagnostic tests for COVID-19, it is suggested that both anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and S Abs should be measured and cut-off levels decreased.
Keywords: COVID-19; anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody; electrochemiluminescence immunoassay; nucleocapsid; spike.