An anti-nucleocapsid antigen SARS-COV-2 total antibody assay finds comparable results in edta-anticoagulated whole blood obtained from capillary and venous blood sampling

Abstract

Although SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays have been found to provide valid results in EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood, so far, they have not demonstrated that antibody levels in whole blood originating from capillary blood samples are comparable to antibody levels measured in blood from a venous origin. Here, blood is drawn simultaneously by capillary and venous blood sampling. Antibody titers are determined by an assay employing electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) and SARS-CoV-2 total immunoglobulins are detected with specificity directed against the nucleocapsid antigen. Six individuals with confirmed COVID-19 and six individuals without COVID-19 are analyzed. Antibody titers in capillary venous whole blood did not show significant differences, and when corrected for hematocrit, they did not differ from the results obtained from serum. In conclusion, capillary sampled EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood seems to be an attractive alternative matrix for the evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies when employing ECLIA for detecting total antibodies directed against nucleocapsid antibodies.