Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents
ABSTRACT In the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, testing for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies is paramount for monitoring immune responses in postauthorization vaccination and seroepidemiological studies. However, large-scale and iterative serological test...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Microbiology Spectrum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00178-21 |
| _version_ | 1798034123160289280 |
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| author | Eline Meyers Stefan Heytens Asangwing Formukong Hanne Vercruysse An De Sutter Tom Geens Kenneth Hofkens Heidi Janssens Eveline Nys Elizaveta Padalko Ellen Deschepper Piet Cools |
| author_facet | Eline Meyers Stefan Heytens Asangwing Formukong Hanne Vercruysse An De Sutter Tom Geens Kenneth Hofkens Heidi Janssens Eveline Nys Elizaveta Padalko Ellen Deschepper Piet Cools |
| author_sort | Eline Meyers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT In the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, testing for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies is paramount for monitoring immune responses in postauthorization vaccination and seroepidemiological studies. However, large-scale and iterative serological testing by venipuncture in older persons can be challenging. Capillary blood sampling using a finger prick and collection on protein saver cards, i.e., dried blood spots (DBSs), has already proven to be a promising alternative. However, elderly persons have reduced cutaneous microvasculature, which may affect DBS-based antibody testing. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the performance of DBS tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among nursing homes residents. We collected paired venous blood and DBS samples on two types of protein saver cards (Whatman and EUROIMMUN) from nursing home residents, as well as from staff members as a reference population. Venous blood samples were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies using the Abbott chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). DBS samples were analyzed by the EUROIMMUN enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. We performed a statistical assessment to optimize the ELISA cutoff value for the DBS testing using Youden's J index. A total of 273 paired DBS-serum samples were analyzed, of which 129 were positive, as assessed by the reference test. The sensitivities and specificities of DBS testing ranged from 95.0% to 97.1% and from 97.1% to 98.8%, respectively, depending on the population (residents or staff members) and the DBS card type. Therefore, we found that DBS sampling is a valid alternative to venipuncture for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among elderly subjects. IMPORTANCE Since the implementation of newly developed SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the general population, serological tests are of increasing importance. Because DBS samples can be obtained with a finger prick and can be shipped and stored at room temperature, they are optimal for use in large-scale SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance or postauthorization vaccination studies, even in an elderly study population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:38:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d9abd4b3654480a80c498efd1b75c17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2165-0497 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:38:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiology Spectrum |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d9abd4b3654480a80c498efd1b75c172022-12-22T04:04:16ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972021-10-019210.1128/Spectrum.00178-21Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home ResidentsEline Meyers0Stefan Heytens1Asangwing Formukong2Hanne Vercruysse3An De Sutter4Tom Geens5Kenneth Hofkens6Heidi Janssens7Eveline Nys8Elizaveta Padalko9Ellen Deschepper10Piet Cools11Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumResearch and Analytics, Liantis Occupational Health Services, Bruges, BelgiumDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumResearch and Analytics, Liantis Occupational Health Services, Bruges, BelgiumDepartment of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumResearch and Analytics, Liantis Occupational Health Services, Bruges, BelgiumLaboratory of Medical Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumBiostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumABSTRACT In the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, testing for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies is paramount for monitoring immune responses in postauthorization vaccination and seroepidemiological studies. However, large-scale and iterative serological testing by venipuncture in older persons can be challenging. Capillary blood sampling using a finger prick and collection on protein saver cards, i.e., dried blood spots (DBSs), has already proven to be a promising alternative. However, elderly persons have reduced cutaneous microvasculature, which may affect DBS-based antibody testing. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the performance of DBS tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among nursing homes residents. We collected paired venous blood and DBS samples on two types of protein saver cards (Whatman and EUROIMMUN) from nursing home residents, as well as from staff members as a reference population. Venous blood samples were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies using the Abbott chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). DBS samples were analyzed by the EUROIMMUN enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. We performed a statistical assessment to optimize the ELISA cutoff value for the DBS testing using Youden's J index. A total of 273 paired DBS-serum samples were analyzed, of which 129 were positive, as assessed by the reference test. The sensitivities and specificities of DBS testing ranged from 95.0% to 97.1% and from 97.1% to 98.8%, respectively, depending on the population (residents or staff members) and the DBS card type. Therefore, we found that DBS sampling is a valid alternative to venipuncture for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among elderly subjects. IMPORTANCE Since the implementation of newly developed SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the general population, serological tests are of increasing importance. Because DBS samples can be obtained with a finger prick and can be shipped and stored at room temperature, they are optimal for use in large-scale SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance or postauthorization vaccination studies, even in an elderly study population.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00178-21elderlynursing homesSARS-CoV-2COVID-19antibodiesimmunoglobins |
| spellingShingle | Eline Meyers Stefan Heytens Asangwing Formukong Hanne Vercruysse An De Sutter Tom Geens Kenneth Hofkens Heidi Janssens Eveline Nys Elizaveta Padalko Ellen Deschepper Piet Cools Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents Microbiology Spectrum elderly nursing homes SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 antibodies immunoglobins |
| title | Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents |
| title_full | Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents |
| title_short | Comparison of Dried Blood Spots and Venous Blood for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Population of Nursing Home Residents |
| title_sort | comparison of dried blood spots and venous blood for the detection of sars cov 2 antibodies in a population of nursing home residents |
| topic | elderly nursing homes SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 antibodies immunoglobins |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00178-21 |
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