Pre-evaluation assessment of serological-based COVID-19 point-of-care lateral flow assays in Kenya

African Journal of Laboratory Medicine

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Pre-evaluation assessment of serological-based COVID-19 point-of-care lateral flow assays in Kenya
 
Creator Kimotho, James K. Gosar, Abdiaziz A. Inyangala, Ronald Wairimu, Paulyne Siyoi, Fred Matoke-Muhia, Damaris Wanjala, Cecilia Zablon, Jeremiah Orina, Moses Muita, Lucy Thiga, Jacqueline Nyabuti, Lameck Wainaina, Eunice Mwangi, Joseph Mumbi, Alice Omari, Samuel Wanjiru, Ann Nzou, Samson M. Ochwoto, Missiani
 
Subject science, laboratory medicine,regulation COVID-19; point-of-care; IgM; IgG; sensitivity; specificity; SARS-CoV-2
Description Background: Timely testing is a key determinant of management outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests are currently the mainstay for COVID-19 testing. However, serological point-of-care tests (PoCTs) can be useful in identifying asymptomatic and recovered cases, as well as herd immunity.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess COVID-19 PoCTs in Kenya to support the emergency use authorisation of these tests.Methods: Between March 2020 and May 2020, 18 firms, of which 13 were from China, submitted their PoCTs to the national regulatory authority, the Pharmacy and Poison Board, who in turn forwarded them to the Kenya Medical Research Institute for pre-evaluation assessment. The tests were run with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction COVID-19-positive samples. Pre-COVID-19 plasma samples that were collected in June 2019 were used as negative samples. The shelf lives of the PoCTs ranged from 6 to 24 months.Results: Only nine (50%) tests had sensitivities ≥ 40% (range: 40% – 60%) and the ability of these tests to detect IgM ranged from 0% to 50%. Many (7/18; 38.9%) of the kits had very weak IgM and IgG band intensities (range: 2–3).Conclusion: Serological-based PoCTs available in Kenya can only detect COVID-19 in up to 60% of the infected population.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Kenya Medical Research Institute, Pharmacy and Poisons Board
Date 2021-09-17
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Laboratory assays,
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1317
 
Source African Journal of Laboratory Medicine; Vol 10, No 1 (2021); 6 pages 2225-2010 2225-2002
 
Language eng
 
Relation
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https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1317/2035 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1317/2036 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1317/2037 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/1317/2038
 
Coverage Kenya, East africa, Covid-19 pandemic in Africa —
Rights Copyright (c) 2021 paulyne Wairimu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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