Testing for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): A General Review. 2020

Eric W Tang, and April M Bobenchik, and Shaolei Lu
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.

The rampant COVID-19 pandemic has strained the testing capabilities of healthcare centers across the country. Several nucleic acid and serologic assays are available or currently being developed to meet the growing demand for large-scale testing. This review summarizes the developments of commonly used testing methods and their strategic use in clinical diagnosis and epidemiologic surveillance. This review will cover the basic virology of SARS-CoV-2, nucleic acid amplification testing, serology, antigen testing, as well as newer testing methods such as CRISPR-based assays.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011024 Pneumonia, Viral Inflammation of the lung parenchyma that is caused by a viral infection. Pneumonias, Viral,Viral Pneumonia,Viral Pneumonias
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000073640 Betacoronavirus A genus of the family CORONAVIRIDAE which causes respiratory or gastrointestinal disease in a variety of mostly mammals. Human betacoronaviruses include HUMAN ENTERIC CORONAVIRUS; HUMAN CORONAVIRUS OC43; MERS VIRUS; and SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME-RELATED CORONAVIRUS. Members have either core transcription regulatory sequences of 5’-CUAAAC-3’ or 5’-CUAAAC-3’ and mostly have no ORF downstream to the N protein gene. HCoV-HKU1,Human coronavirus HKU1,Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5,Rousettus bat coronavirus HKU9,Tylonycteris bat coronavirus HKU4,Betacoronaviruses
D000078337 Procedures and Techniques Utilization Extent of use of procedures or techniques. It includes overuse and underuse. Procedure Utilization,Technique Utilization,Procedure Utilizations,Technique Utilizations,Utilizations, Technique
D000086382 COVID-19 A viral disorder generally characterized by high FEVER; COUGH; DYSPNEA; CHILLS; PERSISTENT TREMOR; MUSCLE PAIN; HEADACHE; SORE THROAT; a new loss of taste and/or smell (see AGEUSIA and ANOSMIA) and other symptoms of a VIRAL PNEUMONIA. In severe cases, a myriad of coagulopathy associated symptoms often correlating with COVID-19 severity is seen (e.g., BLOOD COAGULATION; THROMBOSIS; ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME; SEIZURES; HEART ATTACK; STROKE; multiple CEREBRAL INFARCTIONS; KIDNEY FAILURE; catastrophic ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME and/or DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION). In younger patients, rare inflammatory syndromes are sometimes associated with COVID-19 (e.g., atypical KAWASAKI SYNDROME; TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME; pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease; and CYTOKINE STORM SYNDROME). A coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the genus BETACORONAVIRUS is the causative agent. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease,2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection,2019-nCoV Disease,2019-nCoV Infection,COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 Pandemics,COVID-19 Virus Disease,COVID-19 Virus Infection,Coronavirus Disease 2019,Coronavirus Disease-19,SARS Coronavirus 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection,COVID19,2019 nCoV Disease,2019 nCoV Infection,2019-nCoV Diseases,2019-nCoV Infections,COVID 19,COVID 19 Pandemic,COVID 19 Virus Disease,COVID 19 Virus Infection,COVID-19 Virus Diseases,COVID-19 Virus Infections,Coronavirus Disease 19,Disease 2019, Coronavirus,Disease, 2019-nCoV,Disease, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, 2019-nCoV,Infection, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, SARS-CoV-2,Pandemic, COVID-19,SARS CoV 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infections,Virus Disease, COVID-19,Virus Infection, COVID-19
D000086402 SARS-CoV-2 A species of BETACORONAVIRUS causing atypical respiratory disease (COVID-19) in humans. The organism was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The natural host is the Chinese intermediate horseshoe bat, RHINOLOPHUS affinis. 2019 Novel Coronavirus,COVID-19 Virus,COVID19 Virus,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus,SARS Coronavirus 2,SARS-CoV-2 Virus,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2,Wuhan Coronavirus,Wuhan Seafood Market Pneumonia Virus,2019-nCoV,2019 Novel Coronaviruses,COVID 19 Virus,COVID-19 Viruses,COVID19 Viruses,Coronavirus 2, SARS,Coronavirus, 2019 Novel,Coronavirus, Wuhan,Novel Coronavirus, 2019,SARS CoV 2 Virus,SARS-CoV-2 Viruses,Virus, COVID-19,Virus, COVID19,Virus, SARS-CoV-2,Viruses, COVID19
D000086742 COVID-19 Testing Diagnosis of COVID-19 by assaying bodily fluids or tissues for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies, SARS-COV-2 antigens or the VIRAL RNA of SARS-COV-2. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease Testing,2019 Novel Coronavirus Testing,2019-nCoV Disease Testing,2019-nCoV Infection Testing,2019-nCoV Testing,COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing,COVID-19 Virus Testing,COVID19 Testing,COVID19 Virus Testing,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing,Coronavirus Disease-19 Testing,SARS Coronavirus 2 Testing,SARS-CoV-2 Testing,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Testing,2019 nCoV Disease Testing,2019 nCoV Infection Testing,2019 nCoV Testing,2019-nCoV Disease Testings,2019-nCoV Infection Testings,2019-nCoV Testings,COVID 19 Diagnostic Testing,COVID 19 Testing,COVID 19 Virus Testing,COVID-19 Diagnostic Testings,COVID-19 Testings,COVID-19 Virus Testings,COVID19 Testings,COVID19 Virus Testings,Coronavirus Disease 19 Testing,Coronavirus Disease-19 Testings,Diagnostic Testing, COVID-19,Disease Testing, 2019-nCoV,Infection Testing, 2019-nCoV,SARS CoV 2 Testing,SARS-CoV-2 Testings,Testing, 2019-nCoV,Testing, 2019-nCoV Disease,Testing, 2019-nCoV Infection,Testing, COVID-19,Testing, COVID-19 Virus,Testing, COVID19,Testing, COVID19 Virus,Testing, Coronavirus Disease-19,Testing, SARS-CoV-2,Virus Testing, COVID-19,Virus Testing, COVID19
D058873 Pandemics Epidemics of infectious disease that have spread to many countries, often more than one continent, and usually affecting a large number of people. Pandemic
D062665 Epidemiological Monitoring Collection, analysis, and interpretation of data about the frequency, distribution, and consequences of disease or health conditions, for use in the planning, implementing, and evaluating public health programs. Epidemiologic Monitoring,Epidemiologic Surveillance,Monitoring, Epidemiologic,Epidemiologic Surveillances,Monitoring, Epidemiological,Surveillance, Epidemiologic,Surveillances, Epidemiologic
D018352 Coronavirus Infections Virus diseases caused by the CORONAVIRUS genus. Some specifics include transmissible enteritis of turkeys (ENTERITIS, TRANSMISSIBLE, OF TURKEYS); FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS; and transmissible gastroenteritis of swine (GASTROENTERITIS, TRANSMISSIBLE, OF SWINE). Infections, Coronavirus,MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome),Middle East Respiratory Syndrome,Coronavirus Infection,Infection, Coronavirus

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