Antibody tests for identification of current and past infection with SARS-CoV-2

June 25, 2020

Deeks JJ, Dinnes J, Takwoingi Y, et al.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

This Cochrane review provided a comprehensive synthesis of the diagnostic accuracy of antibody tests used for current and past infection with SARS-CoV-2 (57 studies). Generally, research surrounding SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests has been conducted in hospitalised patients, leaving much to speculate regarding test sensitivity in milder/asymptomatic patients. Despite this research heterogeneity, authors concluded that antibody test sensitivity is poor during the first week of symptom onset and subsequently rises as time passes (>15 days after onset). However, the duration of blood antibodies is unknown, leading to questions surrounding test sensitivity for population prevalence literature. Overall, authors call for rigorous investigation into the diagnostic accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests, particularly in non-severe cases of illness.

Deeks JJ, Dinnes J, Takwoingi Y, et al. Antibody tests for identification of current and past infection with SARS-CoV-2. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020; published online June 25. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD013652.

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