COVID-19: Understanding the science of antibody testing and lessons from the HIV epidemic

Abstract

Potential pitfalls in the development, deployment and interpretation of antibody tests for COVID-19 are discussed. Lessons learned from the experience with the introduction of antibody tests for HIV are highlighted.Each test will need to be separately vetted for performance and clinical implementation based upon rigorous clinical trial data. The issues we highlight will also be similarly important for vaccine and therapeutic drug efficacy trials.