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. 2020 Dec;9(1):924-927.
doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1752610.

Significance of serology testing to assist timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections: implication from a family cluster

Yan Xu  1 , Meng Xiao  1 , Xinchao Liu  1 , Shengyong Xu  1 , Tiekuan Du  1 , Jun Xu  1 , Qiwen Yang  1 , Yingchun Xu  1 , Yang Han  1 , Taisheng Li  1 , Huadong Zhu  1 , Mengzhao Wang  1
Affiliations

Significance of serology testing to assist timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections: implication from a family cluster

Yan Xu et al. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Confirmative diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections has been challenged due to unsatisfactory positive rate of molecular assays. Here we identified a family cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections, with five of six family members were SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobin serology testing positive, while molecular assays only detected two of this five patients even repeated twice. We comprehensively analyzed this familial cluster of cases based on the clinical characteristics, chest CT images, SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection results, and serology testing results. At last, two patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, two were suspected of COVID-19, and two were considered close contacts. Our results emphasized the significance of serology testing to assist timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections, especially for COVID-19 close contacts screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Chest CT images. (a) Transverse chest CT images from Case 1 showing bilateral ground-glass opacity, subsegmental areas of consolidation and subpleural line. (b) Transverse chest CT images from Case 2 showing peripheral pulmonary parenchymal ground-glass and consolidative pulmonary opacities. (c) Transverse chest CT images from Case 3 showing subsegmental areas of ground-glass opacity and consolidation. Transverse chest CT images from Case 4 (d), Case 5 (e) and Case 6 (f) were normal.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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