Estimating SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Canadian Blood Donors, April 2020 to March 2021: Improving Accuracy with Multiple Assays

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creativework.keywords - en
SARS-CoV-2 antibody
Spike
Receptor binding domain
Nucleocapsid
IgG
Latent class analysis
dc.contributor.author
Tuite, Ashleigh R.
Fisman, David
Abe, Kento T.
Rathod, Bhavisha
Pasculescu, Adrian
Colwill, Karen
Gingras, Anne-Claude
Yi, Qi-Long
O'Brien, Sheila F.
Drews, Steven J.
dc.date.accessioned
2024-03-19T12:36:34Z
dc.date.available
2024-03-19T12:36:34Z
dc.date.issued
2022-02-23
dc.description.abstract - en
We have previously used composite reference standards and latent class analysis (LCA) to evaluate the performance of laboratory assays in the presence of tarnished gold standards. Here, we apply these techniques to repeated, cross-sectional study of Canadian blood donors, whose sera underwent parallel testing with four separate SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays. We designed a repeated cross-sectional design with random cross-sectional sampling of all available retention samples (n = 1500/month) for a 12 -month period from April 2020 until March 2021. Each sample was evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies using four assays an Abbott Architect assay targeting the nucleocapsid antigen (Abbott-NP, Abbott, Chicago IL) and three in-house IgG ELISAs recognizing distinct recombinant viral antigens: full-length spike glycoprotein (Spike), spike glycoprotein receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid (NP). We used two analytic approaches to estimate SAR-CoV-2 seroprevalence: a composite reference standard and LCA. Using LCA to estimate true seropositivity status based on the results of the four antibody tests, we estimated that seroprevalence increased from 0.8% (95% CI: 0.5–1.4%) in April 2020 to 6.3% (95% CI: 5.1–7.6%) in March 2021. Our study provides further support for the use of LCA in upcoming public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics when a gold standard assay may not be available or identifiable. IMPORTANCE Here, we describe an approach to estimating seroprevalence in a low prevalence setting when multiple assays are available and yet no known gold standard exists. Because serological studies identify cases through both diagnostic testing and surveillance, and otherwise silent, unrecognized infections, serological data can be used to estimate the true infection fatality ratio of a disease. However, seroprevalence studies rely on assays with imperfect sensitivity and specificity. Seroreversion (loss of antibody response) also occurs over time, and with the advent of vaccination, distinction of antibody response resulting from vaccination as opposed to antibody response due to infection has posed an additional challenge. Our approach indicates that seroprevalence on Canadian blood donors by the end of March 2021was less than 10%. Our study supports the use of latent class analysis in upcoming public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics when a gold standard assay may not be available or identifiable.
dc.identifier.citation
Tuite AR, Fisman D, Abe KT, et al. Estimating SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Canadian Blood Donors, April 2020 to March 2021: Improving Accuracy with Multiple Assays. Pride DT, ed. Microbiology Spectrum. 2022;10(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02563-21
dc.identifier.doi
https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02563-21
dc.identifier.issn
2165-0497
dc.identifier.uri
https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/2169
dc.language.iso
en
dc.publisher
American Society for Microbiology Journals
dc.rights - en
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
dc.rights - fr
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - en
Gold
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - fr
Or
dc.rights.uri - en
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.uri - fr
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.fr
dc.subject - en
Health
dc.subject - fr
Santé
dc.subject.en - en
Health
dc.subject.fr - fr
Santé
dc.title - en
Estimating SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Canadian Blood Donors, April 2020 to March 2021: Improving Accuracy with Multiple Assays
dc.type - en
Article
dc.type - fr
Article
local.acceptedmanuscript.articlenum
e02563-21
local.article.journalissue
1
local.article.journaltitle
Microbiology Spectrum
local.article.journalvolume
10
local.peerreview - en
Yes
local.peerreview - fr
Oui
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