Comparative Assessment of Sera from Individuals after S-Gene RNA-Based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination with Spike-Protein-Based and Nucleocapsid-Based Serological Assays

• Main Authors: Anja Dörschug, Hagen Frickmann, Julian Schwanbeck, Elif Yilmaz, Kemal Mese, Andreas Hahn, Uwe Groß, Andreas E. Zautner
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Diagnostics
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; serology; vaccination; surveillance; nucleocapsid
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/3/426

Due to the beginning of vaccination against COVID-19, serological discrimination between vaccine-associated humoral response and serology-based surveillance of natural SARS-CoV-2 infections as well as breakthrough infections becomes an issue of relevance. Here, we assessed the differentiated effects of the application of an RNA vaccine using SARS-CoV-2 spike protein epitopes on the results of both anti-spike protein–based serology (EUROIMMUN) and anti-nucleocapsid-based serology (VIROTECH). A total of 80 serum samples from vaccinees acquired at different time points after vaccination was assessed. While positive or borderline serological response in the anti-spike protein assay was observed for all samples (90% both IgG and IgA, 6.3% IgA only, 3.8% borderline IgG only), only a single case of a falsely positive IgM was observed for the anti-nucleocapsid assay as expected due to this assay’s specificity. Positive anti-spike protein antibodies were already detectable in the second week after the first dose of vaccination, with higher titers after the second dose of the vaccine. In conclusion, the combined application of anti-spike protein–based serology and anti-nucleocapsid-based serology will provide a useful option for the discrimination of vaccination response and natural infection.