Alternative or Complementary Role of Serological Rapid Antibody Test in the Management of Possible COVID-19 Cases

Yildirim, F.; Yildiz Gulhan, P.; Diken, O. E.; Capraz, A.; Simsek, M.; Botan Yildirim, B.; Taysi, M. R.; Yilmaz Ozturk, S.; Demirtas, N.; Ergil, J.; Dirican, A.; Uzar, T.; Karaman, I.; OZKAYA, S.

Background: Although the gold diagnostic method for COVID-19 is accepted as the detection of viral particles by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), serology testing for SARS-CoV-2 is at increased demand. A primary aim for utilization of serological tests are to better quantify the number of COVID-19 cases including those RT-PCR samples were negative but showing clinical and radiological signs of COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to report the features of the patients that were diagnosed and treated as possible COVID-19 cases whose multiple nasopharyngeal swab samples were negative by RT-PCR but serological IgM/IgG antibody against SARS-CoV-2 were detected by rapid antibody test. Method: We retrospectively analyzed eighty suspected COVID-19 cases that have at least two negative consecutive COVID-19 PCR test and were subjected to serological rapid antibody test. Result: The specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected as positive in twenty-two patients. The mean age of patient group was 63.2+-13.1 years old with male /female ratio 11/11. Cough was the most common symptom with 90.9%. Most common presenting chest CT findings were bilateral ground glass opacities (77.2%) and alveolar consolidations (50.09%). The mean duration from symptom initiation to hospital admission, to hospitalization, to treatment initiation and to detection of antibody positivity were 8.6 +- 7.2, 11.2 +- 5.4, 7.9 +- 3.2 and 24 +- 17 days, respectively. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the feasibility of COVID-19 diagnosis based on rapid antibody test in the cases of patients whose RT-PCR samples were negative. We suggest that the detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with rapid antibody test should be included in the diagnostic algorithm in suspected COVID-19 patients.