Diagnostic strategies for SARS-CoV-2 infection

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of laboratory diagnostics to reduce the spread of SARSCoV-2 and to treat patients with severe coronaviral disease. The situation required a rapid development of molecular and serological tests to enable mass screening, testing of high-risk groups, and establishing epidemiological data. Knowledge of diagnostic methods is continuously evolving, so it is crucial to understand the nature of the tests and to be able to interpret their results. This review discusses the current literature on diagnostic methods, prognostic markers, diagnostic recommendations, choice of the appropriate test, type of biological material, and interpretation of results depending on test sensitivity and disease duration. Also, the percentage of positive results in the selected countries at two distant time points of the epidemic was analyzed. Further development of diagnostic techniques and incorporation of new technologies can provide more accurate and faster tools for control the epidemic.