Question

7. Serological testing for COVID-19 involves acquiring a patient blood sample via finger prick.

a. What is the test looking for in patient blood?

b. What is the type of serological test used to analyze patient blood?

c. What will the test tell you about the patient’s status with regards to COVID-19 infection?

Answer 1

1. Serology tests are blood-based tests that can be used to identify whether people have been exposed to a particular pathogen by looking at their immune response.
2. Rapid diagnostic test (RDT): This is typically a qualitative (positive or negative) lateral flow assay that is small, portable, and can be used at the point of care (POC).
3. These tests may use blood samples from a finger prick. In the context of COVID-19, these tests most frequently test for patient antibodies (IgG and IgM), or viral antigen. In some cases, it can be beneficial to measure the baseline (before infection) of IgG and IgM titers. It tells us about the presence or absence (qualitative) of antibodies against the virus present in patient serum.