A serological assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in humans.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Serological assays are crucial for understanding population-level exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
• Identifying individuals with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is important for public health and therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting human SARS-CoV-2 seroconverters.
• To present an assay that is safe, adaptable, and scalable for widespread use.

Main Methods:

• Development of a serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• The assay is designed to screen and identify SARS-CoV-2 seroconverters.
• Methodology avoids the need for handling infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Main Results:

• The described ELISA can detect different types of antibodies in serum and plasma.
• The assay is amenable to scaling for large-volume testing.
• Demonstrated feasibility for screening and identification of seroconverters.

Conclusions:

• The developed ELISA provides a safe and scalable method for SARS-CoV-2 serological screening.
• This assay can support population exposure studies, identification of convalescent plasma donors, and research into correlates of protection.