Serology News and Research

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SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant associated with more critical and fatal disease than Alpha, suggests Qatar study

A new study traces the degree to which the Beta variant of this virus is associated with severe, critical or fatal disease, using a case-control model.

6 Aug 2021

Hi-tech lab taps advanced technology to boost Singapore's future pandemic response

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Pathnova Laboratories, a medical diagnostic company backed by Temasek Life Sciences Accelerator and headquartered in Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, is contributing to Singapore's COVID-19 diagnostic capability through its partnership in a new clinical diagnostic laboratory.

2 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 test in 20 minutes with FISH

A collaboration from the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick has led to research into a novel method of viral detection through rapid fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in order to effectively detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus within 20 minutes.

29 Jun 2021

Novel biosensor offers rapid quantitative variant of concern-independent serology for SARS-CoV-2

Even as herculean efforts are being made to extend the reach of vaccination against COVID-19 to all the regions of the world, there is a dire need for rapid and sensitive tests to assess the antibody response to the various vaccines used and to monitor antibody titers over time. A new preprint describes a new approach to this problem which could be applied to other molecules of interest as well, both in laboratories and at the point of care.

25 Jun 2021

Aberdeen researchers develop antibody tests to detect new Covid-19 variants

Antibody tests that can detect whether people have been exposed to new variants of Covid-19 have been developed by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with biotechnology group Vertebrate Antibodies Ltd and NHS Grampian.

17 Jun 2021

New antibody testing study finds evidence of early COVID-19 infections in the U.S.

A new antibody testing study examining samples originally collected through the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program found evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in five states earlier than had initially been reported.

15 Jun 2021

Can immunity form and interaction with seasonal coronaviruses influence SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology?

A new study hypothesizes that cross-protection from seasonal epidemics of HCoVs could not only affect SARS-CoV-2 transmission but also protect children from the disease.

2 Jun 2021

Risk factors for rare COVID-19 complications in children (MIS-C)

While the earlier waves of COVID-19 relatively spared children, some of the affected children have developed a systemic inflammatory condition, with occasionally fatal outcomes. Called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), its pathogenesis and risk factors are the subject of a new study on the medRxiv* preprint server.

21 May 2021

Swiss study suggests very low prevalence of long COVID in pediatric population

Researchers from Switzerland recently analyzed long COVID symptoms in children and adolescents with a 6-month follow-up based on their SARS-CoV-2 serology. A longitudinal cohort analysis, the Ciao Corona study investigated SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and case clustering among ~2500 children from 55 primary and secondary schools in Zurich, Switzerland.

20 May 2021

FDA reminds the public about the limitations of COVID-19 antibody

The following quote is attributed to Tim Stenzel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health in the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

20 May 2021

Presence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after 13 months of infection

A new study has been published on the medRxiv* preprint server which focuses on validating the serological assays using a large cohort of healthcare workers.

19 May 2021

New nanoimmunoassay can detect anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in ultralow-volume blood samples

In a recent study, researchers developed and validated a nanoimmunoassay (NIA) that analyzes 1,024 samples in parallel on a single microfluidic device the size of a USB stick. They detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, achieving a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 100% based on an analysis of 134 pre-pandemic sera (collected in 2013/2014 and 2018) and 155 sera from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive individuals.

10 May 2021

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Germany

Seroprevalence studies have proved their worth in estimating the size and directionality of an outbreak of infectious disease, especially the current pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A new study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server describes the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in five representative regions of Germany.

10 May 2021

Study examines SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in healthy young adults and risk of reinfection

New research has been published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, which focuses on evaluating the effect of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity on the possibility of developing SARS-CoV-2 infection in a young and healthy population. This study is based on the longitudinal prospective cohort study that involves the COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines (CHARM).

20 Apr 2021

Commercial assays detect mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in most vaccinated participants

A recent study by researchers from Canada aimed to examine the ability of commercial assays to detect vaccine-induced antibodies and recognize the vaccination response.

12 Apr 2021

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy provides passive SARS-CoV-2 immunity to neonates 16 days after first dose

Recently, a group of researchers analyzed 122 pregnant women and their neonates at the time of birth. All the women studied received 1 or both doses of a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine for COVID-19. Of the 122 women part of the study, 55 had received only the first dose of the vaccine while 67 women had received both doses of the mRNA vaccine by the time they gave birth; 85 women had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 37 women received the Moderna vaccine. The study is published on the preprint server, bioRxiv.

11 Apr 2021

Does natural infection with SARS-CoV-2 offer more protection than a vaccine against new variants?

A new study demonstrates that vaccines may be less effective at countering the newer SARS-CoV-2 variants compared to natural infection.

9 Apr 2021

High SARS-CoV-2 attack rates linked to singing events

Now, a team of researchers from the Netherlands and Sweden demonstrates that airborne spread via infectious droplets or aerosols over longer distances of more than 1.5 meters due to singing is possible during singing events.

8 Apr 2021

FDA authorizes use of Symbiotica COVID-19 Self-Collected Antibody Test System

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has issued an emergency use authorization for the Symbiotica COVID-19 Self-Collected Antibody Test System, the first antibody test authorized for use with home collected dried blood spot samples.

6 Apr 2021

Study investigates the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines over longer term

COVID-19 vaccines were designed to reduce the likelihood that infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus would lead to severe outcomes, such as hospitalization and death. In that sense, all of the currently approved vaccines -- Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson -- have proven comparably effective.

2 Apr 2021