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Coronavirus

Antibody testing

(32 Posts)
Davidhs Wed 29-Apr-20 09:37:21

My grandsons girlfriend from college has just had a positive antibody test, her mum is a nurse. At the end of January she was very ill at college, all the C19 symptoms, did not get tested of course, 10 days later grandson was ill. He came home for the weekend and gave it to me, mid February by then. I had a serious cough and chest pains for a week, other family members also had various symptoms, mostly mild or none.

So it started at college, most likely introduced by a fellow student who had been to an Italian ski resort in the New Year, so we can be pretty sure it was circulating in northern Italy over Christmas.

So assuming the Antibody Test is accurate it confirms my own suspicion that we all have been infected here.

GrannyLaine Thu 30-Apr-20 00:24:44

hmm
Absolutely no interest in your stick.
I'll leave you to your thread........

notanan2 Thu 30-Apr-20 00:05:31

You have been nasty and condescending when it was you who got the wrong end of the stick.

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 23:54:24

Oh I do beg your pardon notanan, I didn't realise that this was a thread just for you to comment. I read the OP just fine, and I have absolutely no agenda for derailing any thread. If you could take a little of your own advice, I was talking about the difference between the specific tests, not the difference between 'antigen' and 'antibody' Davidhs answered my question with accuracy and politeness.

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 23:34:10

Antigens and antibodies work together
They are part of the same whole.

We were never talking about throat swabs that was just your derail/inability to read the OP properly.

This was always a thread about immunity testing. For everybody but you anyway.

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 21:26:19

Antibodies and antigens arent two different things
Really Farmor?
Antigen test = throat & nasal swab for those currently experiencing symptoms or household member has symptoms.
Antibody test = blood test will ultimately show extent and spread of Covid19 across the population. My comprehension is just fine.

Farmor15 Wed 29-Apr-20 20:38:24

The antibody test mentioned by BlueBelle is a lab based test, not the type of home test the UK government was hoping to roll out, but which was found unreliable. Lab based antibody tests might be useful as part of a screening programme to find out what proportion of population has been exposed to virus.
Notanan is not confused between antibody and antigen tests.

EllanVannin Wed 29-Apr-20 19:08:02

They had just landed in this country for Christmas with relatives, Maizie---why ?
They were both in the cubicle opposite to where I was and I couldn't do a thing about it because I was wired-up and couldn't move.
Nurses rushed to put on masks gloves and aprons and they also tried to tell the two ladies to wear masks.

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 18:28:39

Thank you Davidhs, I wondered if it was part of the trial, as finding an accurate test seems to be problematic. It's interesting to look at how far it can spread and how quickly.

Davidhs Wed 29-Apr-20 18:22:05

Antibody tests show if you have been in contact with a disease and your immune system has reacted by producing the antibodies. The government has announced about a week ago that a trial of 20,000 antibody tests was being done, maybe the girlfriend was included in that programme, all I know is that a test was done and proved positive.

We cannot assume anything, immunity may be short lived or the virus may change before a vaccine is available.

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 18:16:01

Your patronising tone is ironic given your lack of comprehension:

The OP stated it was an antibody test.
If the girl had her symptoms in january after exposure to someone who was at a hot spot ski resort, they wouldnt still be positive for a throat swab unless either reinfected or never initially infected.

The throat swab doesnt test if you had it

You CAN get antibody testing. There are trials, people have had it.

Its not what you get in a drive thru centre but that doesnt mean nobody is getting it

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 18:03:34

Notanan, I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain to you any further.
My original question was to Davidhs before you jumped in.

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 17:49:38

This thread is about antibody testing which gives the currently useless information that you have previously had CV19 (& can give you a negative even if you did)

Not the swabs that tell you you have a current flair up of an active infection. That is not what this thread is about.

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 17:44:43

No one is being told they have immunity Notanan as no one yet knows how this virus is going to behave. The coronaviruses generally tend to have short term immunity.
The antigen test is what is being used to tell whether, for example, someone has had the virus thus whether key workers are okay to return to work or whether they need to isolate.
Not irrelevant, as you claim

rosecarmel Wed 29-Apr-20 17:26:30

In the US anyone can now get that test at Quest for about $119.00-

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 17:19:15

Antibodies and antigens arent two different things theyre cogs in the same process.

Immunity means you have those cogs in place to kick into action next time youre exposed to that pathogen.

It is not a case of once immune always immune though.

Immunity can last just weeks or months or years

We do not yet know how many people retain immunity to CV19 or how long it usually lasts.

So being told you have immunity today gives you no usable informatiom whatsoever.

What would you do differently if you got a positive?
It doesnt mean you wont catch CV19 again or indeed if you do if you'll get it more severely or milder.
We just do not know how immunity to this one plays out yet

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 17:11:29

Its not clear whether all of your 4 posts are referring just to antibody testing or to antigen testing Notanan

(1)The antigen test is most certainly NOT irrelevant.
(2)There is currently NO accurate antibody test being used on any scale by the NHS

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 16:19:11

The test is irrelevant if the result gives no useful information.

If you are positive it means nothing in practical terms right now. It doesnt mean you can no longer get CV. If you are shielding you still have to shield etc

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 16:10:45

notanan2 I think you are confusing the two different tests. The medical experts on the daily briefing have consistently told us that they have not yet sourced an acceptably reliable antibody test. The testing that is currently being done is the antigen test

MaizieD Wed 29-Apr-20 16:08:28

What is the significance of the 'Indian ladies', Ellan?

There was something not very pleasant going around in, as I recall, late November, early December which left one feeling wiped out for a day or so and with a persistent cough, my partner and I got it from our grandson, as did my daughter, but it would be daft to speculate.

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 16:06:35

Its pointless doing antibody testing before we have learnt more about CV19 immunity.

Some virus immunities only last weeks.
Some virus immunities last years for some people and doesnt last at all for most others.
Other virus antibodies give most people a good chance of longish term immunity

Its meaningless information at the moment

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 16:04:09

It would only accurately tell you if you currently have the antibody.

It doesnt tell you if you have had it but have no antibodies.

A possitive also doesnt tell you whether you are immune. You can have antibodies this week but not next week.

notanan2 Wed 29-Apr-20 16:02:25

An accurate antibody test can still give a negative to someone who has had CV.

GrannyLaine Wed 29-Apr-20 15:59:24

Davidhs I was under the impression that antibody tests haven't been rolled out yet as they are not accurate. The antigen tests that are being used at the moment are for those who currently have symptoms of Covid19. Did your grandson's girlfriend have a private test?

BlueBelle Wed 29-Apr-20 15:41:53

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-antibody-test-approval-news-europe-uk-accuracy-abbot-a9490026.html

BlueBelle Wed 29-Apr-20 15:40:47

According to the Independent today there is an antibody test 99% accurate that has been developed in Maidenhead and will be distributed throughout Europe (I hope we still count as European) end of May I’ll try and find the link