Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jan 2021)

Limited Specificity of Serologic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Detection, Benin

  • Anges Yadouleton,
  • Anna-Lena Sander,
  • Andres Moreira-Soto,
  • Carine Tchibozo,
  • Gildas Hounkanrin,
  • Yvette Badou,
  • Carlo Fischer,
  • Nina Krause,
  • Petas Akogbeto,
  • Edmilson F. de Oliveira Filho,
  • Anges Dossou,
  • Sebastian Brünink,
  • Melchior A. Joël Aïssi,
  • Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey,
  • Benjamin Hounkpatin,
  • Michael Nagel,
  • Jan Felix Drexler

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2701.203281
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 1
pp. 233 – 237

Abstract

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We used commercially available ELISAs to test 68 samples from coronavirus disease cases and prepandemic controls from Benin. We noted <25% false-positive results among controls, likely due to unspecific immune responses elicited by acute malaria. Serologic tests must be carefully evaluated to assess coronavirus disease spread and immunity in tropical regions.

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