Vasconcelos LDCM, Leony LM, Camelier AA, Meireles AC, Oliveira Júnior ALFD, Bandeira AC, Macedo YSF, Duarte AO, Van Voorhis W, Siqueira ICD, Santos FLN. Usefulness of receptor binding domain protein-based serodiagnosis of COVID-19.
IJID REGIONS 2024;
10:1-8. [PMID:
38045864 PMCID:
PMC10687696 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.11.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Objectives
This study evaluated the performance of recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD) protein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (RBD-ELISAs) for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM antibodies.
Methods
In this study, 705 sera from SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals and 315 sera from healthy individuals were analyzed.
Results
The RBD-ELISA IgG exhibited high specificity (99.1%) and moderate sensitivity (48.0%), with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 73.5%. RBD-ELISA IgM demonstrated specificity at 94.6% and sensitivity at 51.1%, with an accuracy of 72.8%. Both assays displayed improved performance when analyzing samples collected 15-21 days post-symptom onset, achieving sensitivity and accuracy exceeding 88% and 90%, respectively. Combining RBD-ELISA IgG and IgM in parallel analysis enhanced sensitivity to 98.6% and accuracy to 96.2%. Comparing these RBD-ELISAs with commercially available tests, the study found overlapping sensitivity and similar specificity values. Notably, the combined RBD-ELISA IgG and IgM showed superior performance. Cross-reactivity analysis revealed low false-positive rates (4.4% for IgG, 3.7% for IgM), primarily with viral infections.
Conclusion
This research underscores the potential of RBD-based ELISAs for COVID-19 diagnosis, especially when assessing samples collected 15-21 days post-symptom onset and utilizing a parallel testing approach. The RBD protein's immunogenicity and specificity make it a valuable tool for serodiagnosis, offering an alternative to polymerase chain reaction-based methods, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Collapse