Detection of the new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 in five SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests (RATs), Germany, March 2021

Sabrina Jungnick; Bernhard Hobmaier; Lena Mautner; Mona Hoyos; Maren Haase; Armin Baiker; Heidi Lahne; Ute Eberle; Clara Wimmer; Sabrina Hepner; Annika Sprenger; Carola Berger; Alexandra Dangel; Manfred Wildner; Bernhard Liebl; Nikolaus Ackermann; Andreas Sing; Volker Fingerle; Bavarian SARS-CoV-2-Public Health Laboratory Team; Bavarian SARS-CoV-Public Health Laboratory Team

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.16.2100413

Detection of the new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 in five SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests (RATs), Germany, March 2021

Euro Surveill. 2021 Apr;26(16):2100413. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.16.2100413.

Authors

Sabrina Jungnick^{1

2}, Bernhard Hobmaier^{1

2}, Lena Mautner³, Mona Hoyos³, Maren Haase³, Armin Baiker³, Heidi Lahne¹, Ute Eberle¹, Clara Wimmer¹, Sabrina Hepner¹, Annika Sprenger¹, Carola Berger¹, Alexandra Dangel¹, Manfred Wildner^{4

5}, Bernhard Liebl^{4

5}, Nikolaus Ackermann¹, Andreas Sing^{1

4}, Volker Fingerle¹; Bavarian SARS-CoV-2-Public Health Laboratory Team^{1

6}; Bavarian SARS-CoV-Public Health Laboratory Team

Affiliations

¹ Public Health Microbiology Unit, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
² These authors contributed equally to this work.
³ Unit of molecular biologic analytics and biogenetics, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
⁴ Ludwig Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
⁵ Bavarian State Institute of Health, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
⁶ Members of the Bavarian SARS-CoV-Public Health Laboratory Team are listed below.

PMID: 33890568
PMCID: PMC8063588
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.16.2100413

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) should not escape molecular surveillance. We investigated if SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests (RATs) could detect B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 VOCs in certain laboratory conditions. Infectious cell culture supernatants containing B.1.1.7, B.1.351 or non-VOC SARS-CoV-2 were respectively diluted both in DMEM and saliva. Dilutions were analysed with Roche, Siemens, Abbott, nal von minden and RapiGEN RATs. While further studies with appropriate real-life clinical samples are warranted, all RATs detected B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, generally comparable to non-VOC strain.

Keywords: B.1.1.7; B.1.351; Rapid antigen test(s); SARS-CoV-2; Variant(s) of Concern; performance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Serological Testing
COVID-19*
Germany
Humans
SARS-CoV-2*