A combined approach of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and multivariate analysis as a potential tool for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in nasopharyngeal swabs

ROCCA, MARÍA FLORENCIA; ZINTGRAFF, JONATHAN CRISTIAN; DATTERO, MARÍA ELENA; SANTOS, LEONARDO SILVA; LEDESMA, MARTÍN; VAY, CARLOS; PRIETO, MÓNICA; BENEDETTI, ESTEFANÍA; AVARO, MARTÍN; RUSSO, MARA; NACHTIGALL, FABIANE MANKE; BAUMEISTER, ELSA

JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2020 vol. 286

0166-0934

Coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The early, sensitive and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus is widely recognized as the critical point in responding to the ongoing outbreak. Currently, the diagnosis is based on molecular real time RT-PCR techniques, although their implementation is being threatened due to the extraordinary demand for supplies worldwide. That is why the development of alternative and / or complementary tests becomes so relevant. Here, we exploit the potential of mass spectrometry technology combined with machine learning algorithms, for the detection of COVID-19 positive and negative protein profiles directly from nasopharyngeal swabs samples. According to the preliminary results obtained, accuracy = 67.66 %, sensitivity = 61.76 %, specificity = 71.72 %, and although these parameters still need to be improved to be used as a screening technique, mass spectrometry-based methods coupled with multivariate analysis showed that it is an interesting tool that deserves to be explored as a complementary diagnostic approach due to the low cost and fast performance. However, further steps, such as the analysis of a large number of samples, should be taken in consideration to determine the applicability of the method developed.