Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 20, 2020

Detection of Nucleocapsid Antibody to SARS-CoV-2 Is More Sensitive than Antibody to Spike Protein in COVID-19 Patients

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  • Luciferase immunopreciptation assay systems (LIPS) were found to be more sensitive to SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies to the nucleocapsid than antibodies to the spike protein at 15 or more days after symptom onset.  
  • Sampling daily from patients showed that immunocompromised patients generally had a delayed antibody response. 
  • Though this study only included symptomatic patients, among whom antibody levels are likely higher, the high sensitivity of LIPs shows promise and has implications for larger seroepidemiologic studies. 

Burbelo et al. (May 19, 2020). Detection of Nucleocapsid Antibody to SARS-CoV-2 Is More Sensitive than Antibody to Spike Protein in COVID-19 Patients. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaa273