Hospital & Community Spotlight

As the country continues to adhere to firm physical distancing measures and work-from-home protocols, the topic of antibody testing has emerged as a promising solution to identify individuals who have been exposed to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), determine if there is immunity post-infection and set expectations moving forward.

John Iafrate, MD, PhD, vice chair of Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School, and Edward Ryan, MD, director of Global Infectious Diseases at Mass General, break down the basics about antibodies, serology testing and the potential implications of a positive antibody presence in the case of COVID-19.

What is an antibody?

Antibodies are proteins in the blood produced in response to an infection. They remain as protection in case the pathogen, an organism that causes disease, invades the body again. They are detectable in the blood approximately five to seven days after symptoms begin to occur, are rapidly produced by the B cells of the immune system when a new pathogen enters the body and are critical to the body’s ability to fight off the infectious agent.

By establishing the presence of anti-COVID-19 antibodies, health care professionals can determine whether someone has been exposed to the virus and mounted an immune response. The presence of COVID-19 antibodies can help the physician make a definitive diagnosis of COVID-19, especially when the nasal pharyngeal (nose or throat) swab tests are negative. Moreover, knowledge of exposure via antibody testing can be useful in understanding those individuals who knew they were sick but did not know they were COVID-19 positive.

Thanks to Nantucket Community Television for producing this PSA!