Laboratory diagnosis challenges of COVID-۱۹

Background and Aim : COVID-۱۹ is a respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-۲,was first identified in Chinese patients. Early detection of positive cases such as COVID-۱۹patients and asymptomatic carriers is one of the main factors of prevention and further spread ofinfection in the population and pandemic control. During the COVID-۱۹ pandemic, researchershave developed various diagnostic tests for detection of the SARS-CoV-۲ based on variousmethods.Methods : The diagnosis methods for detection of SARS-CoV-۲ contain molecular test for viralgenes detection and the immunological methods including human specific antibodies detectionand viral antigens detection and point-of-care (POC) tests. There are challenges in diagnosis foreach method, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages in diagnosis of COVID-۱۹.Results : Currently, real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is themost used diagnostic assay and gold standard method in many countries for diagnosis of COVID-۱۹ as recommended by world Health Organization (WHO). The numerous RT-PCR protocols weredeveloped with different sensitivity and specificity based on diagnosis of different genes of SARSCoV-۲ such as envelope (E) gene, RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene, spike (S) gene,nucleocapsid (N) gene and ORF۱b region of virus genome.Conclusion : The RT-PCR based on use of one or two gene targets and antigen detection testssuch as some POC tests are used for diagnostic purpose, while serologic test for detection ofspecific antibodies against SARS-CoV-۲ proteins used for assessment of seroconversion aftervaccination or exposure to the virus.

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، SARS-CoV-۲ ، Diagnosis