Many people have been calling for more antibody tests for the novel coronavirus. And antibody tests certainly are important but it’s essential to understand a bit more about how these tests work and how the results will be used. So antibody tests are a type of test called a “serological” test and they detect the presence of antibody proteins made by our immune systems to fight infections like the one caused by the novel coronavirus.
But it can take many days after infection for our immune system to make antibodies that can become detectable by lab tests. That means that antibody tests aren’t very useful in identifying people who have recently become ill with the virus. Serological antibody tests are best used many days or even weeks after someone has had the infection. So serological test results give us information about who may have had the infection in the past. Right now, we don’t know if having antibodies to the novel coronavirus means that a person can’t get re-infected. Now we will know the answer to that important question eventually but until we do, how should antibody test results be used?
Well, one way to use them is to identify who has already had the infection but that’s more important from a population health perspective than from an individual patient perspective. Another way to use the test is to identify people who have recovered and who may be able to donate blood that can be given to critically sick people who are fighting the infection. When these really sick patients get blood from people who have already recovered, they may recover sooner or have an improvement in their symptoms. And we can also use antibody tests to help researchers develop new drugs to fight the infection. What all of this means is that antibody testing is critical to the ongoing research and fighting of the virus.
Using these tests though will require cooperation among lab scientists, researchers, doctors, and even governments as we all search for ways to manage this pandemic.
But it can take many days after infection for our immune system to make antibodies that can become detectable by lab tests. That means that antibody tests aren’t very useful in identifying people who have recently become ill with the virus. Serological antibody tests are best used many days or even weeks after someone has had the infection. So serological test results give us information about who may have had the infection in the past. Right now, we don’t know if having antibodies to the novel coronavirus means that a person can’t get re-infected. Now we will know the answer to that important question eventually but until we do, how should antibody test results be used?
Well, one way to use them is to identify who has already had the infection but that’s more important from a population health perspective than from an individual patient perspective. Another way to use the test is to identify people who have recovered and who may be able to donate blood that can be given to critically sick people who are fighting the infection. When these really sick patients get blood from people who have already recovered, they may recover sooner or have an improvement in their symptoms. And we can also use antibody tests to help researchers develop new drugs to fight the infection. What all of this means is that antibody testing is critical to the ongoing research and fighting of the virus.
Using these tests though will require cooperation among lab scientists, researchers, doctors, and even governments as we all search for ways to manage this pandemic.
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