Characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) confirmed using an IgM‐IgG antibody test. Issue 10 (7th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xie, Jiajia; Ding, Chengchao; Li, Jing; Wang, Yulan; Guo, Hui; Lu, Zhaohui; Wang, Jinquan; Zheng, Changcheng; Jin, Tengchuan; Gao, Yong; He, Hongliang
• Other Names: Luo Guangxiang (George) guestEditor.; Ly Hinh guestEditor.; Gao Shou‐Jiang guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical virology. Volume 92:Issue 10(2020)
• Page Start: 2004
• Page End: 2010
• Publication Date: 2020-05-07
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- diagnosis -- IgG -- IgM -- SARS‐CoV‐2; Virology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25930
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-6615

Abstract

Abstract: Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19), caused by a novel betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has rapidly developed into a pandemic since it was first reported in December 2019. Nucleic acid testing is the standard method for the diagnosis of viral infections. However, this method reportedly has a low positivity rate. To increase the sensitivity of COVID‐19 diagnoses, we developed an IgM‐IgG combined assay and tested it in patients with suspected SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. In total, 56 patients were enrolled in this study and SARS‐CoV‐2 was detected by using both IgM‐IgG antibody and nucleic acid tests. Clinical and laboratory data were collected and analyzed. Our findings suggest that patients who develop severe illness might experience longer virus exposure times and develop a more severe inflammatory response. The IgM‐IgG test is an accurate and sensitive diagnostic method. A combination of nucleic acid and IgM‐IgG testing is a more sensitive and accurate approach for diagnosis and early treatment of COVID‐19. Highlights: Combined detection of IgM and IgG is of great value to improve the clinical sensitivity of early diagnosis of COVID‐19. Numerous differences were found between patients in severe group and those who were not. IgM may be an indicator of inflammation severity in acute infection in COVID‐19 patients.