Evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test for Detection of Antibody in Human, Canine, Cat, and Hamster Sera

• Published in: Journal of clinical microbiology Vol. 59; no. 2
• Main Authors: Perera, Ranawaka A. P. M., Ko, Ronald, Tsang, Owen T. Y., Hui, David S. C., Kwan, Mike Y. M., Brackman, Christopher J., To, Esther M. W., Yen, Hui-ling, Leung, Kathy, Cheng, Samuel M. S., Chan, Kin Ho, Chan, Karl C. K., Li, Ka-Chi, Saif, Linda, Barrs, Vanessa R., Wu, Joseph T., Sit, Thomas H. C., Poon, Leo L. M., Peiris, Malik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 21.01.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Cats; COVID-19; COVID-19 - blood; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - pathology; COVID-19 Serological Testing - methods; Cricetinae; Cross Reactions; Dogs; Female; Humans; Immune Sera - immunology; Immunoassays; Male; Neutralization Tests - methods; Neutralization Tests - standards; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Sensitivity and Specificity; antibody; hamster; neutralization; SARS coronavirus 2; canine; surrogate virus neutralization; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; cat; serology; animal; seroepidemiology; human
• ISSN: 0095-1137; 1098-660X; 1098-660X
• DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02504-20

Surrogate neutralization assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can be done without biosafety level 3 containment and in multiple species are desirable. We evaluate a recently developed surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) in comparison to 90% plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT 90 ) in human, canine, cat, and hamster sera. With PRNT 90 as the reference, sVNT had sensitivity of 98.9% and specificity of 98.8%. Using a panel of immune sera corresponding to other coronaviruses, we confirm the lack of cross-reactivity to other coronaviruses in SARS-CoV-2 sVNT and PRNT 90 , except for cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-1 in sVNT. Surrogate neutralization assays for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can be done without biosafety level 3 containment and in multiple species are desirable. We evaluate a recently developed surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) in comparison to 90% plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT 90 ) in human, canine, cat, and hamster sera. With PRNT 90 as the reference, sVNT had sensitivity of 98.9% and specificity of 98.8%. Using a panel of immune sera corresponding to other coronaviruses, we confirm the lack of cross-reactivity to other coronaviruses in SARS-CoV-2 sVNT and PRNT 90 , except for cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-1 in sVNT.