Delayed specific IgM antibody responses observed among COVID-19 patients with severe progression. Issue 1 (1st January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shen, Liang; Wang, Chunhua; Zhao, Jianzhong; Tang, Xiaoyong; Shen, Ying; Lu, Mingqing; Ding, Zhe; Huang, Canping; Zhang, Ji; Li, Shichao; Lan, Jiaming; Wong, Gary; Zhu, Yufang
• Is Part Of: Emerging microbes & infections. Volume 9:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 1096
• Page End: 1101
• Publication Date: 2020-01-01
• Subjects: GICA -- delayed -- IgM antibody -- severity -- COVID-19; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1766382
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2222-1751

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly worldwide since it was confirmed as the causative agent of COVID-19. Molecular diagnosis of the disease is typically performed via nucleic acid-based detection of the virus from swabs, sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). However, the positive rate from the commonly used specimens (swabs or sputum) was less than 75%. Immunological assays for SARS-CoV-2 are needed to accurately diagnose COVID-19. Sera were collected from patients or healthy people in a local hospital in Xiangyang, Hubei Province, China. The SARS-CoV-2 specific IgM antibodies were then detected using a SARS-CoV-2 IgM colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA). Results were analysed in combination with sera collection date and clinical information. The GICA was found to be positive with the detected 82.2% (37/45) of RT-qPCR confirmed COVID-19 cases, as well as 32.0% (8/25) of clinically confirmed, RT-qPCR negative patients (4–14 days after symptom onset). Investigation of IgM-negative, RT-qPCR-positive COVID-19 patients showed that half of them developed severe disease. The GICA was found to be a useful test to complement existing PCR-based assays for confirmation of COVID-19, and a delayed specific IgM antibody response was observed among COVID-19 patients with severe progression.