Road toward universal COVID-19 testing method - A review.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Diagnostic Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Novel coronavirus presents diverse symptoms, from mild to severe pneumonia, including asymptomatic infections.
• Lack of definitive clinical signs necessitates reliance on laboratory diagnostics for accurate coronavirus disease confirmation.
• Hematological and biochemical tests offer prognostic insights into patient conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of various diagnostic methods for novel coronavirus disease.
• To identify the most sensitive and specific testing strategies for accurate diagnosis.
• To propose a combined approach to minimize false negatives and curb community transmission.

Main Methods:

• Review of hematological and biochemical tests for prognostic value.
• Assessment of genetic assays, specifically reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), for sensitivity and specificity.
• Analysis of computed tomography (CT) chest imaging findings over time.
• Evaluation of immunological rapid tests for accuracy and false-negative rates.

Main Results:

• Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is a time-consuming yet sensitive and specific diagnostic method.
• Early-stage CT chest imaging shows minimal changes, with ground-glass lesions appearing from the second week onward.
• Immunological rapid tests exhibit a high rate of false negatives, limiting their reliability.

Conclusions:

• A combination of rRT-PCR or mass antibody testing with CT chest imaging is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
• This integrated approach aims to reduce false negatives, thereby aiding in the prevention of widespread community transmission.
• Effective diagnostic strategies are vital for managing the global impact of coronavirus disease.