March 31, 2021

A Haemagglutination Test for Rapid Detection of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Testing and Treatment

Keywords (Tags): testing

• A study of red cell agglutination tests (haemagglutination tests, or HAT) demonstrated the ability to detect antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 99% in blood samples taken from individuals with a PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection ≥28 days prior. The authors note that the HAT test for antibody detection confers several benefits that may make it suitable for a point-of-care test in low-resource settings, including its low cost, no need for specialized equipment, short development time, and the ability to read by eye. 

Townsend et al. (Dec 29, 2021). A Haemagglutination Test for Rapid Detection of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22045-y