COVID-19 Diagnosis Methods and Infection Prevention Strategies
Classified in Medicine & Health
Written on in
English with a size of 3.88 KB
Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19
Accurate and timely diagnosis of COVID-19 is crucial for effective patient management and public health control. Various laboratory methods are employed to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 or the body's immune response to it.
Specimen Collection for COVID-19 Testing
- Preferred Samples: Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs are the primary specimens for viral detection.
- Other Specimens: In severe cases, sputum, lower respiratory tract secretions, and saliva may also be collected.
Molecular Tests: RT-PCR
- Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is considered the gold standard test for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
- This method identifies viral RNA by amplifying specific genetic regions of the virus, such