Rapid Blood Test Could Confirm COVID-19 Vaccination in Minutes
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 07 Jun 2021 |
|
Image: An image taken from a YouTube video shows results of a rapid blood test developed by Johns Hopkins researchers that can confirm in minutes if a person has been vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (Photo courtesy of Robert Kruse)
Researchers have developed a rapid blood test that can confirm in minutes if a person has been vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The rapid blood test developed by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University (JHU; Baltimore, MD, USA) could confirm a person has been vaccinated while they wait to board a plane or enter a sporting event. Their COVID-19 antibody test is similar to one used at home to determine blood type, where the user pricks a finger and places a drop of blood on a card. A fusion protein developed by the research team is housed on the card and detects COVID-19 antibodies, tiny proteins in the blood the immune system produces to “remember” viral encounters and provide immunity to future infections. Results come back in less than five minutes, faster than current lateral flow tests to detect antibodies at point of care, while also potentially providing a clearer result. Immunocompromised patients, who studies have shown don’t always respond to the COVID-19 vaccine, could test their antibody level and see if the vaccine is working for them, according to the researchers.
The test uses hemagglutination, in which the degree of clumping together of red blood cells reveals the concentration of antibodies. The hemagglutination results could let people know if they still have protection months after they received the vaccine or if they need a booster shot. The degree of hemagglutination also correlated with levels of neutralizing antibodies in patients, which protect against viral infection. In a study on 400 blood samples, half of which were from prior COVID-19 patients, the test correctly identified antibodies in previously infected patients 87.5% of the time, a slightly higher rate than ELISA tests performed in hospitals that require hours to perform. The test could be used to confirm a person’s vaccination instead of having to show a vaccine card, according to Robert Kruse, M.D., Ph.D., who created the blood test.
“If a business is using the honor system for vaccinations, now they could test people on-site,” said Kruse.
Related Links:
Johns Hopkins University
The rapid blood test developed by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University (JHU; Baltimore, MD, USA) could confirm a person has been vaccinated while they wait to board a plane or enter a sporting event. Their COVID-19 antibody test is similar to one used at home to determine blood type, where the user pricks a finger and places a drop of blood on a card. A fusion protein developed by the research team is housed on the card and detects COVID-19 antibodies, tiny proteins in the blood the immune system produces to “remember” viral encounters and provide immunity to future infections. Results come back in less than five minutes, faster than current lateral flow tests to detect antibodies at point of care, while also potentially providing a clearer result. Immunocompromised patients, who studies have shown don’t always respond to the COVID-19 vaccine, could test their antibody level and see if the vaccine is working for them, according to the researchers.
The test uses hemagglutination, in which the degree of clumping together of red blood cells reveals the concentration of antibodies. The hemagglutination results could let people know if they still have protection months after they received the vaccine or if they need a booster shot. The degree of hemagglutination also correlated with levels of neutralizing antibodies in patients, which protect against viral infection. In a study on 400 blood samples, half of which were from prior COVID-19 patients, the test correctly identified antibodies in previously infected patients 87.5% of the time, a slightly higher rate than ELISA tests performed in hospitals that require hours to perform. The test could be used to confirm a person’s vaccination instead of having to show a vaccine card, according to Robert Kruse, M.D., Ph.D., who created the blood test.
“If a business is using the honor system for vaccinations, now they could test people on-site,” said Kruse.
Related Links:
Johns Hopkins University
Gold Member
Multiplex Genetic Analyzer
MassARRAY Dx Analyzer (Europe only)
Laboratory Software
ArtelWare
New
Gold Member
Hybrid Pipette
SWITCH
Latest COVID-19 News
- New Immunosensor Paves Way to Rapid POC Testing for COVID-19 and Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Long COVID Etiologies Found in Acute Infection Blood Samples
- Novel Device Detects COVID-19 Antibodies in Five Minutes
- CRISPR-Powered COVID-19 Test Detects SARS-CoV-2 in 30 Minutes Using Gene Scissors
- Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis Linked to COVID-19
- Novel SARS CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test Validated for Diagnostic Accuracy
- New COVID + Flu + R.S.V. Test to Help Prepare for `Tripledemic`
- AI Takes Guesswork Out Of Lateral Flow Testing
- Fastest Ever SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test Designed for Non-Invasive COVID-19 Testing in Any Setting
- Rapid Antigen Tests Detect Omicron, Delta SARS-CoV-2 Variants
- Health Care Professionals Showed Increased Interest in POC Technologies During Pandemic, Finds Study
- Set Up Reserve Lab Capacity Now for Faster Response to Next Pandemic, Say Researchers
- Blood Test Performed During Initial Infection Predicts Long COVID Risk
- Low-Cost COVID-19 Testing Platform Combines Sensitivity of PCR and Speed of Antigen Tests
- Finger-Prick Blood Test Identifies Immunity to COVID-19
- Quick Test Kit Determines Immunity Against COVID-19 and Its Variants
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
VOCs Show Promise for Early Multi-Cancer Detection
Early cancer detection is critical to improving survival rates, but most current screening methods focus on individual cancer types and often involve invasive procedures. This makes it difficult to identify... Read more
Portable Raman Spectroscopy Offers Cost-Effective Kidney Disease Diagnosis at POC
Kidney disease is typically diagnosed through blood or urine tests, often when patients present with symptoms such as blood in urine, shortness of breath, or weight loss. While these tests are common,... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Blood Immune Cell Analysis Detects Parkinson’s Before Symptoms Appear
Early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease remains one of the greatest challenges in neurology. The condition, which affects nearly 12 million people globally, is typically identified only after significant... Read more
New Diagnostic Marker for Ovarian Cancer to Enable Early Disease Detection
Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecological malignancy worldwide, responsible for more than 200,000 deaths annually. Unlike other cancers, ovarian cancer still lacks a reliable screening test.... Read more
Hematology
view channel
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read more
Viscoelastic Testing Could Improve Treatment of Maternal Hemorrhage
Postpartum hemorrhage, severe bleeding after childbirth, remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, yet many of these deaths are preventable. Standard care can be hindered by delays... Read more
Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments
Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more
Immunology
view channel
Blood-Based Liquid Biopsy Model Analyzes Immunotherapy Effectiveness
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer care by harnessing the immune system to fight tumors, yet predicting who will benefit remains a major challenge. Many patients undergo costly and taxing treatment... Read more
Signature Genes Predict T-Cell Expansion in Cancer Immunotherapy
Modern cancer immunotherapies rely on the ability of CD8⁺ T cells to rapidly multiply within tumors, generating the immune force needed to eliminate cancer cells. However, the biological triggers behind... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
High-Throughput Enteric Panels Detect Multiple GI Bacterial Infections from Single Stool Swab Sample
Gastrointestinal (GI) infections are among the most common causes of illness worldwide, leading to over 1.7 million deaths annually and placing a heavy burden on healthcare systems. Conventional diagnostic... Read more
Fast Noninvasive Bedside Test Uses Sugar Fingerprint to Detect Fungal Infections
Candida bloodstream infections are a growing global health threat, causing an estimated 6 million cases and 3.8 million deaths annually. Hospitals are particularly vulnerable, as weakened patients after... Read more
Pathology
view channel
New Molecular Analysis Tool to Improve Disease Diagnosis
Accurately distinguishing between similar biomolecules such as proteins is vital for biomedical research and diagnostics, yet existing analytical tools often fail to detect subtle structural or compositional... Read more
Tears Offer Noninvasive Alternative for Diagnosing Neurodegenerative Diseases
Diagnosing and monitoring eye and neurodegenerative diseases often requires invasive procedures to access ocular fluids. Ocular fluids like aqueous humor and vitreous humor contain valuable molecular information... Read more
Technology
view channel
Cell-Sorting Device Uses Electromagnetic Levitation to Precisely Direct Cell Movement
Sorting different cell types—such as cancerous versus healthy or live versus dead cells—is a critical task in biology and medicine. However, conventional methods often require labeling, chemical exposure,... Read more
Embedded GPU Platform Enables Rapid Blood Profiling for POC Diagnostics
Blood tests remain a cornerstone of medical diagnostics, but traditional imaging and analysis methods can be slow, costly, and reliant on dyes or contrast agents. Now, scientists have developed a real-time,... Read more
Industry
view channel
Qiagen Acquires Single-Cell Omics Firm Parse Biosciences
QIAGEN (Venlo, Netherlands) has entered into a definitive agreement to fully acquire Parse Biosciences (Seattle, WA, USA), a provider of scalable, instrument-free solutions for single-cell research.... Read more
Puritan Medical Products Showcasing Innovation at AMP2025 in Boston
Puritan Medical Products (Guilford, ME, USA), the world’s most trusted manufacturer of swabs and specimen collection devices, is set to exhibit at AMP2025 in Boston, Massachusetts, from November 11–15.... Read more
Advanced Instruments Merged Under Nova Biomedical Name
Advanced Instruments (Norwood, MA, USA) and Nova Biomedical (Waltham, MA, USA) are now officially doing business under a single, unified brand. This transformation is expected to deliver greater value... Read more
