RAPID SEROLOGICAL TESTS HAVE A ROLE IN ASYMPTOMATIC HEALTH WORKERS COVID-19 SCREENING

Abstract Health workers are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and, if asymptomatic, for transmitting the virus on to fragile cancer patients. We screened 525 health workers of our Cancer Institute with rapid serological test Viva-Diag analyzingCOVID-19 associated-IgG/IgM. Six subjects (1,1%) resulted with Viva-Diag test not-negative for IgM. All 6 cases had RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test negative; repeating analysis ofIgG/IgM expression by CLIA assay also, 2 cases resulted IgM positive and 1 case IgG/IgM positive. This latter subject reported a contact with an infected SARS-CoV-2 person, a month earlier.In conclusion our study seems to suggest: a) a different analytical sensitivity inIgG/IgM evaluation for Viva-Diag and CLIA assays needing to be further determined; b) the ability of Viva-Diagrapid COVID-19 test to evidence health workers positive for Immunoglobulins expression. Discordant results of rapid serological tests with respect to RT-PCR stress the different clinical meaning the two assays can have, question clearly referring to further studies to optimize the utilization of rapid serological test in asymptomatic subjects at high risk for infection.