Severity of COVID-19 infection can be predicted by new blood test

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Scientists developed a blood test that not only detects if a person is positive for COVID-19 but also predicts how severe the infection will be.
• The blood test could help doctors provide the best course of treatment for COVID-19 patients. 
• Researchers vouch for the test’s 95 percent accuracy, regardless of which Covid variant a person is infected with.

A group of George Washington University scientists developed a blood test that not only detects if a person COVID-19 positive but also predicts how severe the infection will be

The researchers say the revolutionary test could help doctors determine the best course of treatment for COVID-19 patients. 

The study was published in the Public Library of Science.

The researchers studied whole blood RNA from COVID-19 patients admitted to the George Washington University Hospital Intensive Care Unit. The patients had symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to severe.

They found that COVID-19 severity was linked to an increase in neutrophil activity and a decrease in T-cell activity. Both Neutrophils and T-cells are a type of white blood cell, part of the body’s immune system that helps fight off infections. 

“This test could prove very valuable during the pandemic, especially as variants continue to spread and doctors need to be confident in identifying the problem and providing effective treatment,” said Timothy McCaffrey, professor of medicine at George Washington and lead researcher on the project, in a statement.  

“When we sequence whole blood RNA, we’re given a fuller, more dynamic picture of what’s happening inside the body, and our test helps identify those who need the more aggressive treatments.” 

McCaffrey and others previously identified RNA biomarkers for other types of infections, such as appendicitis and pneumonia. They found an increase in neutrophil-related RNAs when measuring RNA levels in patients’ blood. 

McCaffrey began applying the same concept to COVID-19 when the pandemic began.

“Beyond the current pandemic, our technique would be able to detect any infection with a high degree of accuracy,” said McCaffrey. “That has applications for all sorts of conditions wherein doctors diagnosing patients need to quickly rule in or rule out whether they are dealing with an infection or something else.” 

McCaffrey says the test is 95 percent accurate, regardless of which variant a person is infected with, because it measures a person’s immune response, not the virus itself, according to NBC news. 

McCaffrey’s test requires additional tests to be proven effective. It will also need an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. 

Source: The Hill