Diagnostic value of using a combination of nucleic acid and specific antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 in coronavirus disease 2019.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerged disease with various clinical manifestations and imaging features. The diagnosis of COVID-19 depends on a positive nucleic acid amplification test by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the clinical manifestations and imaging features of COVID-19 are non-specific, and nucleic acid test for SARS-CoV-2 can have false-negative results. It is presently believed that detection of specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 is an effective screening and diagnostic indicator for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, a combination of nucleic acid and specific antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 will be more effective to diagnose COVID-19, especially to exclude suspected cases.

• Authors: Kaochang Zhao, Li Ai, Yang Zhao, Tao Wang, Zhishui Zheng, Shaolin Zeng, Xuhong Ding, Suping Hu, Hanxiang Nie
• Journal: Epidemiology and infection (Epidemiol Infect) Vol. 149 Pg. e62 (02 17 2021) ISSN: 1469-4409 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33594967 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antibodies, Viral
• RNA, Viral

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antibodies, Viral (blood, immunology)
• COVID-19 (diagnosis, pathology)
• COVID-19 Testing
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Lung (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Pneumonia, Bacterial (diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)
• RNA, Viral (analysis, genetics)
• SARS-CoV-2 (genetics, immunology, isolation & purification)
• Treatment Outcome
• Young Adult
• COVID-19 Drug Treatment