Detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in urine samples: A noninvasive and sensitive way to assay COVID-19 immune conversion.

Ludolf, Fernanda; Ramos, Fernanda F; Bagno, Flávia F; Oliveira-da-Silva, João A; Reis, Thiago A R; Christodoulides, Myron; Vassallo, Paula F; Ravetti, Cecilia G et al. · Sci Adv · 2022

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Serum-based ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) has been widely used to detect anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. However, to date, no study has investigated patient urine as a biological sample to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus-specific antibodies. An in-house urine-based ELISA was developed using recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in urine was established, with 94% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the urine-based ELISA and 88% sensitivity and 100% specificity with a paired serum-based ELISA. The urine-based ELISA that detects anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is a noninvasive method with potential application as a facile COVID-19 immunodiagnostic platform, which can be used to report the extent of exposure at the population level and/or to assess the risk of infection at the individual level.

Medical subject headings