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  • Dried blood spot specimens ...
    Cholette, François; Mesa, Christine; Harris, Angela; Ellis, Hannah; Cachero, Karla; Lacap, Philip; Galipeau, Yannick; Langlois, Marc-André; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Yansouni, Cedric P; Papenburg, Jesse; Cheng, Matthew P; Chakraborty, Pranesh; Stein, Derek R; Van Caeseele, Paul; Bartlett, Sofia; Krajden, Mel; Goldfarb, David; McGeer, Allison; Osiowy, Carla; Hankins, Catherine; Mazer, Bruce; Drebot, Michael; Kim, John

    PloS one, 12/2021, Letnik: 16, Številka: 12
    Journal Article

    The true severity of infection due to COVID-19 is under-represented because it is based on only those who are tested. Although nucleic acid amplifications tests (NAAT) are the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, serological assays provide better population-level SARS-CoV-2 prevalence estimates. Implementing large sero-surveys present several logistical challenges within Canada due its unique geography including rural and remote communities. Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling is a practical solution but comparative performance data on SARS-CoV-2 serological tests using DBS is currently lacking. Here we present test performance data from a well-characterized SARS-CoV-2 DBS panel sent to laboratories across Canada representing 10 commercial and 2 in-house developed tests for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Three commercial assays identified all positive and negative DBS correctly corresponding to a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI = 72.2, 100). Two in-house assays also performed equally well. In contrast, several commercial assays could not achieve a sensitivity greater than 40% or a negative predictive value greater than 60%. Our findings represent the foundation for future validation studies on DBS specimens that will play a central role in strengthening Canada's public health policy in response to COVID-19.