The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the global public health challenge currently persisting at a grand scale. A method that meets the rapid quantitative detection of antibodies to assess the body’s immune response from natural COVID-19 illness or vaccines’ effects is urgently needed. In the present study, an attempt was made to integrate a newly designed spectrometer to the COVID-19 test strip procedure; this augmentation provides the quantitative capacity to a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Optical interpretation of results by quantitative α index, rather than visual qualification, can be done quickly, in 5–10 minutes. The developed product was compared with several other serological IgM/IgG antibody reagents on the market by recruiting 111 participants suspected of having COVID-19 infection from March to May 2020 in a hospital. Taking RT-PCR as the diagnostic gold standard, the quantitative spectral LIFA platform could correctly detect all 12 COVID-19 patients. Concerning RT-PCR negative patients, all three antibody testing methods found positive cases. The optical-based platform exhibited the ability of early detection of immunoglobulins of RT-PCR negative patients. There was an apparent trend that elevation of IgM levels in the acute phase of infection; then IgG levels rose later. It exhibited the risk of a false-negative diagnosis of RT-PCR in COVID-19 testing. The significant detection ability of this new optical-based platform demonstrated clinical potential.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, IgM, Antibody testing, antibody, immunoglobulins, hospital, diagnostic, Diagnosis, risk, RT-PCR, lateral flow immunoassay, COVID-19 testing, IgG antibody, Immunoglobulin, COVID-19 infection, IgM/IgG, Early detection, Interpretation, gold, LFIA, serological, Quantitative, false-negative, patients, platform, COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 test, test strip, global public health, acute phase, gold standard, IgG levels, market, COVID-19 illness, participant, positive, reagent, Effect, body’s immune response, detect, exhibited, provide, demonstrated, Taking, IgG level, meet, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19 pandemic, Immunoglobulin, platform,