A sensitive and specific competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of covid-19 in animals

  • Susanna K.P. Lau
  • , Zirong He
  • , Chi Ching Tsang
  • , Tony T.Y. Chan
  • , Hayes K.H. Luk
  • , Elaine Chan
  • , Kenneth S.M. Li
  • , Joshua Fung
  • , Franklin W.N. Chow
  • , Anthony R. Tam
  • , Tom W.H. Chung
  • , Sally C.Y. Wong
  • , Tak Lun Que
  • , Kitty S.C. Fung
  • , David C. Lung
  • , Alan K.L. Wu
  • , Ivan F.N. Hung
  • , Jade L.L. Teng
  • , Ulrich Wernery
  • , Suk Wai Hui
  • Paolo Martelli, Patrick C.Y. Woo

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In addition to human cases, cases of COVID-19 in captive animals and pets are increas-ingly reported. This raises the concern for two-way COVID-19 transmission between humans and animals. Here, we developed a SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein-based competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for serodiagnosis of COVID-19 which can theoretically be used in virtually all kinds of animals. We used 187 serum samples from patients with/without COVID-19, laboratory animals immunized with inactive SARS-CoV-2 virions, COVID-19-negative animals, and animals seropositive to other betacoronaviruses. A cut-off percent inhibition value of 22.345% was determined and the analytical sensitivity and specificity were found to be 1:64–1:256 and 93.9%, respectively. Evaluation on its diagnostic performance using 155 serum samples from COVID-19-negative animals and COVID-19 human patients showed a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 80.8% and 100%, respectively. The cELISA can be incorporated into routine blood testing of farmed/captive animals for COVID-19 surveillance.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1019
JournalMicroorganisms
Volume9
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antibody
  • Competitive ELISA
  • COVID-19
  • Nucleocapsid protein
  • SARS-CoV-2

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Virology

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