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Review
. 2022 Jun;36(2):327-347.
doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2022.02.002.

Laboratory Diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Bianca B Christensen  1 , Marwan M Azar  2 , Sarah E Turbett  3
Affiliations
Review

Laboratory Diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Bianca B Christensen et al. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

The optimal diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 infection should be selected based on a patient's clinical syndrome and presentation in relation to symptom onset. Molecular testing, most often reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, offers the highest sensitivity and specificity during acute infection, whereas antigen testing can also be useful for acute diagnosis when rapid turnaround of results is necessary or if molecular testing is unavailable. Serologic testing is often reserved for identifying individuals with prior or late COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: Antigen testing; COVID-19; Nucleic acid amplification testing; SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics; Serology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure S.E. Turbett receives grant support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for COVID-19-related work. She also receives royalties from UpToDate. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timing of virological and immunologic biomarkers during COVID-19 infection.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
SARS-CoV-2 genome.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
SARS-CoV-2 structure.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
RT-PCR.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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