Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 15, 2025
Remote Laboratory Management: Respiratory Virus Diagnostics
Published on: April 6, 2019
The laboratory's role in combating COVID-19
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
Clinical laboratories face challenges in diagnosing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and monitoring disease progression. This review examines the essential laboratory roles and hurdles in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Clinical diagnostics
- Infectious disease epidemiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, necessitates rapid and accurate diagnostic strategies.
- Laboratory testing, including nucleic acid amplification and serological assays, is crucial for COVID-19 diagnosis and management.
- Biochemical monitoring of blood parameters, cardiac markers, and inflammatory responses aids in assessing disease severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the critical role of clinical laboratories in diagnosing and managing COVID-19.
- To highlight the challenges faced by laboratories in handling the overwhelming number of cases and asymptomatic infections.
- To discuss the need for effective strategies to monitor disease progression and stratify patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of current laboratory diagnostic technologies for SARS-CoV-2.
- Analysis of biochemical and hematological markers used in COVID-19 patient care.
- Discussion of challenges in rapid and accurate patient identification and disease monitoring.
Main Results:
- Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and serological tests are vital for COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Biochemical tests provide critical information on organ function and inflammatory status.
- Laboratories face significant challenges in scaling up testing and managing patient data.
Conclusions:
- Clinical laboratories play an indispensable role in the global response to COVID-19.
- Advanced diagnostic and monitoring strategies are essential to overcome current laboratory challenges.
- Effective laboratory approaches are crucial for preventing disease exacerbation and improving patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Since Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in December 2019, the disease has rapidly evolved into a pandemic that threatens societies around the world. As soon as the causative pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified and its genome sequence determined, a laboratory diagnosis based on nucleic acid amplification technologies was quickly established and has played essential roles in the confirmation of a clinical diagnosis. Serological testing for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is becoming available for complementary diagnosis, identification of convalescent plasma, and epidemiologic studies. Additional laboratory biochemical tests, including monitoring the change in blood cells, blood gas, coagulation, liver function, cardiac markers, and inflammatory responses such as cytokine levels in plasma, are also critical in combating COVID-19. Nevertheless, with overwhelming numbers of patients and potentially large numbers of asymptomatic cases, clinical laboratories encounter enormous challenges in diagnostic approaches that can rapidly and accurately identify infected persons. Strategies that can effectively detect disease progression in order to stratify patients for appropriate care, and that can thereby prevent exacerbation of the disease, are urgently needed. This review discusses the laboratory's role and challenges in combating COVID-19.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Controls in Experiments
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation