Nucleocapsid Antigenemia Is a Marker of Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Overview

Journal J Infect Dis

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2022 Jul 25

PMID 35877413

Authors

Hans P Verkerke

Gregory L Damhorst

Daniel S Graciaa

Kaleb McLendon

William OSick

Chad Robichaux

Narayanaiah Cheedarla

Sindhu Potlapalli

Shang-Chuen Wu

Kristin R V Harrington

Andrew Webster

Colleen Kraft

Christina A Rostad

Jesse J Waggoner

Neel R Gandhi

Jeannette Guarner

Sara C Auld

Andrew Neish

John D Roback

Wilbur A Lam

N Sarita Shah

Sean R Stowell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is essential for diagnosis, treatment, and infection control. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fails to distinguish acute from resolved infections, as RNA is frequently detected after infectiousness. We hypothesized that nucleocapsid in blood marks acute infection with the potential to enhance isolation and treatment strategies. In a retrospective serosurvey of inpatient and outpatient encounters, we categorized samples along an infection timeline using timing of SARS-CoV-2 testing and symptomatology. Among 1860 specimens from 1607 patients, the highest levels and frequency of antigenemia were observed in samples from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antigenemia was higher in seronegative individuals and in those with severe disease. In our analysis, antigenemia exhibited 85.8% sensitivity and 98.6% specificity as a biomarker for acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Thus, antigenemia sensitively and specifically marks acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further study is warranted to determine whether antigenemia may aid individualized assessment of active COVID-19.

Citing Articles

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