Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 immune response in plasma

Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 31;12(1):1614. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-05509-z.

Abstract

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic persists, methods that can quickly and reliably confirm infection and immune status is extremely urgently and critically needed. In this contribution we show that combining laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with machine learning can distinguish plasma of donors who previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR from those who did not, with up to 95% accuracy. The samples were also analyzed by LIBS-ICP-MS in tandem mode, implicating a depletion of Zn and Ba in samples of SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects that inversely correlate with CN lines in the LIBS spectra.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Barium / analysis
  • COVID-19 / blood*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Data Accuracy
  • Discriminant Analysis
  • False Negative Reactions
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Humans
  • Immunity*
  • Lasers*
  • Machine Learning
  • Pandemics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrophotometry, Atomic / methods*
  • Zinc / analysis

Substances

  • Barium
  • Zinc