{"doi":"10.1101/2020.07.01.20144295","title":"Sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific-antibodies in dried blood spot samples","abstract":"Abstract Importance Population-wide serological testing is an essential component in understanding the COVID-19 pandemic. The logistical challenges of undertaking widespread serological testing could be eased through use of a reliable dried blood spot (DBS) sampling method. Objective To validate the use of dried blood spot sampling for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. Design, setting and participants Eighty-seven matched DBS and serum samples were obtained from eighty individuals, including thirty-one who were previously PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. DBS eluates and sera were used in an ELISA to detect antibodies to the viral spike protein. Results Specific anti-SARS-Cov-2 spike glycoprotein antibodies were detectable in both serum and DBS eluate and there was a significant correlation between the antibody levels detected in matched samples (r = 0.96, p<0.0001). Using serum as the gold standard in the assay, matched DBS samples achieved a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.975 (near-perfect agreement), a sensitivity of 98.1% and specificity of 100%, for detecting anti-spike glycoprotein antibodies. Conclusions and relevance Eluates from DBS samples are a reliable and reproducible source of antibodies to be used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The use of DBS sampling could complement the use of venepuncture in the immunosurveillance of COVID-19 in both low and high income settings.","journal":"medRxiv","year":2020,"id":121665,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":6,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9274,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2020-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":285021,"name":"Stephen Taylor","orcid":"0000-0001-5496-6482","position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":281665,"name":"Siân E. Jossi","orcid":"0000-0003-0447-5030","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":281660,"name":"Marisol Pérez-Toledo","orcid":"0000-0002-5734-255X","position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285022,"name":"Sian Faustini","orcid":"0000-0002-9300-5569","position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285023,"name":"Edith Marcial‐Juárez","orcid":"0000-0001-9211-2541","position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285024,"name":"Adrian Shields","orcid":"0000-0001-5345-2156","position":6,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285025,"name":"Margaret Goodall","orcid":"0000-0003-0177-684X","position":7,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":105400,"name":"Joel D. Allen","orcid":"0000-0003-2547-968X","position":8,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":105399,"name":"Yasunori Watanabe","orcid":"0000-0002-7952-1268","position":9,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285026,"name":"Maddy L. Newby","orcid":"0000-0003-0624-245X","position":10,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":105401,"name":"Max Crispin","orcid":"0000-0002-1072-2694","position":11,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285027,"name":"Mark T. Drayson","orcid":"0000-0002-1528-7564","position":12,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":281673,"name":"Adam F. Cunningham","orcid":"0000-0003-0248-964X","position":13,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285028,"name":"Alex Richter","orcid":"0000-0003-2885-1299","position":14,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285029,"name":"Matthew K. O’Shea","orcid":"0000-0001-6414-8088","position":15,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":285020,"name":"Gabriella L. Morley","orcid":"0000-0001-8407-0409","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":16,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-18T23:14:46.979435Z","pmid":null,"pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}