Diagnostics (Mar 2021)

Five Commercial Immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Determination and Their Comparison and Correlation with the Virus Neutralization Test

  • Václav Šimánek,
  • Ladislav Pecen,
  • Zuzana Krátká,
  • Tomáš Fürst,
  • Hana Řezáčková,
  • Ondřej Topolčan,
  • Karel Fajfrlík,
  • Dalibor Sedláček,
  • Robin Šín,
  • Petr Pazdiora,
  • Hana Zelená,
  • David Slouka,
  • Radek Kučera

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11040593
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 4
p. 593

Abstract

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There is an ongoing debate as to whether SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can be found in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 disease. Currently, there is no consensus on whether the antibodies, if present, are protective. Our regular measurements of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, starting in July 2020, have provided us with the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the five different immunoassays. A total of 149 patients were enrolled in our study. We measured the samples using each immunoassay, then performing a virus neutralization test and comparing the results of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with this test. We observed that the production of neutralizing antibodies is age-dependent. Elderly patients have a higher proportion of high neutralizing titers than young patients. Based on our results, and in combination with the literature findings, we can conclude that the serological SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurement is a helpful tool in the fight against COVID-19. The assays can provide information about the patient’s previous contact with the virus. Anti-spike protein assays correlate well with the virus neutralization test and can be used in the screening of potential convalescent plasma donors.

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