Efficacy testing will be challenging because of the small pool of donors with sufficiently high antibody titers. We explored the feasibility of collecting convalescent plasma for passive immunotherapy of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection by using ELISA to screen serum samples from 443 potential plasma donors: 196 patients with suspected or laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection, 230 healthcare workers, and 17 household contacts exposed to MERS-CoV. ELISA-reactive samples were further tested by indirect fluorescent antibody and microneutralization assays. Of the 443 tested samples, 12 (2.7%) had a reactive ELISA result, and 9 of the 12 had reactive indirect fluorescent antibody and microneutralization assay titers. Undertaking clinical trials of convalescent plasma for passive immunotherapy of MERS-CoV infection may be feasible, but such trials would be challenging because of the small pool of potential donors with sufficiently high antibody titers. Alternative strategies to identify convalescent plasma donors with adequate antibody titers should be explored, including the sampling of serum from patients with more severe disease and sampling at earlier points during illness.
【저자키워드】 viruses, respiratory infections, convalescent plasma, intensive care, Neutralizing antibodies, Immunotherapy, MERS, MERS-CoV, Saudi Arabia, ELISA, humans, Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, convalescent-phase plasma, Antibody titers, microneutralization, Middle East respiratory syndrome, IFA, Feasibility study, convalescent phase, seroreactive, indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay, 【초록키워드】 clinical trial, Trial, antibody, feasibility, Infection, serum, healthcare, Patient, Antibody titer, plasma, household contact, Donor, severe disease, Middle East, fluorescent, respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS-CoV infection, laboratory-confirmed, serum sample, reactive, tested, identify, assays, feasible,