Comparison of Cobas Plasma Separation Cards and Whatman filter paper cards versus conventional serum samples for anti-Trypansoma cruzi antibody detection
Silgado et al.
The finding, in our words
Dried blood spot sampling achieved high agreement with serum for anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibody detection, supporting its use in decentralised settings; however, samples collected on Cobas Plasma Separation Cards showed lower antibody index values than serum and Whatman cards, which may reduce sensitivity in low-titre specimens.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
The study validated a semi-quantitative protocol for Epstein-Barr virus serology using dried blood spots, demonstrating 98.8% sensitivity and 96.5% specificity compared to paired venous serum samples. The successful validation in a self-sampling cohort confirms the suitability of this patient-centric microsampling approach for large-scale seroprevalence studies and decentralised trials.
Capillary samples collected using dried blood spots and Mitra microsamplers showed strong agreement with venous plasma for quantifying IgG antibodies against most vaccine-preventable diseases. Sensitivity was high for the majority of pathogens, though the study noted that antibody stability declined at room temperature over time, favouring cold storage for longer durations.
Among 154 volunteers, 85% found HemaSpot HF self-sampling acceptable, but correlation with venous blood for anti-tetanus toxin IgG was moderate (r = 0.73) and sensitivity varied from 70% to 100% depending on the cut-off value, with concentration differences widening at higher IgG levels. The device requires further improvement before it can reliably replace venous puncture for decentralised serological testing.
The review found dried blood spot sampling correlates strongly with plasma for HIV-1 viral load and offers simplified collection, transport and storage without cold-chain. This could expand access to monitoring in resource-limited settings and improve clinical outcomes through earlier detection of treatment failure.
Self-collected dried blood spots analysed on the Roche Elecsys platform gave quantitative anti-spike antibody results that agreed closely with paired venous samples, with sensitivity 96.63% and specificity 97.81% and a conversion formula across 0.018 to 250 U/mL, enabling accurate tracking of titre changes in longitudinal cohorts after vaccination.