Sensitive Detection of SARS-CoV-2–Specific Antibodies in Dried Blood Spot Samples
Gabriella L. Morley, Stephen Taylor, Siân E. Jossi, Marisol Pérez-Toledo, Sian Faustini, Edith Marcial‐Juárez, Adrian Shields, Margaret Goodall, Joel D. Allen, Yasunori Watanabe, Maddy L. Newby, Max Crispin, Mark T. Drayson, Adam F. Cunningham, Alex Richter, Matthew K. O’Shea
Abstract
A confirmed diagnosis of acute coronavirus disease (COVID-19) depends on the detection of RNA from the causative pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In contrast, although serologic testing is less useful for diagnosing the acute stages of infection, it can aid in diagnosing atypical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection (M. Perez-Toledo et al., unpub. data, https://doi.org/10 .1101/2020.06.05.20123117) and in determining prior virus exposure at a population level (1), knowledge which could substantially influence public health and social policies (2,3).