Evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test for Detection of Antibody in Human, Canine, Cat, and Hamster Sera
Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera, Ronald LW Ko, Owen TY Tsang, David S.C. Hui, Mike Yat Wah Kwan, Christopher J. Brackman, Esther M. W. To, Hui‐Ling Yen, Kathy Leung, Samuel M. S. Cheng, Kin Ho Chan, Kaimin Chan, Ka-Chi Li, Linda J. Saif, Vanessa R. Barrs, Joseph T. Wu, Thomas H. C. Sit, Leo L. M. Poon, Malik Peiris
Abstract
Surrogate neutralization assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can be done without biosafety level 3 containment and in multiple species are desirable. We evaluate a recently developed surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) in comparison to 90% plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT 90 ) in human, canine, cat, and hamster sera. With PRNT 90 as the reference, sVNT had sensitivity of 98.9% and specificity of 98.8%. Using a panel of immune sera corresponding to other coronaviruses, we confirm the lack of cross-reactivity to other coronaviruses in SARS-CoV-2 sVNT and PRNT 90 , except for cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-1 in sVNT.