Assessment of the Field Utility of a Rapid Point-of-Care Test for SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Household Cohort

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Nov 24;106(1):156-159. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0592.

Abstract

Point-of-care (POC) tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies offer quick assessment of serostatus after natural infection or vaccination. We compared the field performance of the BioMedomics COVID-19 IgM/IgG Rapid Antibody Test against an ELISA in 303 participants enrolled in a SARS-CoV-2 household cohort study. The rapid antibody test was easily implemented with consistent interpretation across 14 users in a variety of field settings. Compared with ELISA, detection of seroconversion lagged by 5 to 10 days. However, it retained a sensitivity of 90% (160/177, 95% confidence interval [CI] 85-94%) and specificity of 100% (43/43, 95% CI 92-100%) for those tested 3 to 5 weeks after symptom onset. Sensitivity was diminished among those with asymptomatic infection (74% [14/19], 95% CI 49-91%) and early in infection (45% [29/64], 95% CI 33-58%). When used appropriately, rapid antibody tests offer a convenient way to detect symptomatic infections during convalescence.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* / standards
  • Family Characteristics
  • Humans
  • Point-of-Care Testing* / standards
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral