April 17, 2020

Rapid Serological Tests Have a Role in Asymptomatic Health Workers COVID-19 Screening

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Testing and Treatment

• To gain insight on the prevalence of asymptomatic cases among healthcare workers (HCWs), Paradiso et al tested 525 asymptomatic HCWs of a Cancer Institute in Vo’Euganeo (a red zone quarantined area in Northern Italy) using VivaDiagTM antibody testing. They report that none of the 6 workers who tested positive for COVID-19 with the VivaDiagTM kit tested positive using RT-PCR testing, and at 1-week follow-up all 6 were still asymptomatic. 
• They infer rapid antibody tests can have the ability to detect persons who had a previous contact with SARS-CoV-2, however these discordant results of antibody tests with RT-PCR stress show that further studies are needed to optimize the utilization of serologic test in asymptomatic persons who are at a high risk for infection. 

Paradiso et al. (Apr 17, 2020). Rapid Serological Tests Have a Role in Asymptomatic Health Workers COVID-19 Screening. Pre-print downloaded Apr 17 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.15.20057786