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[[File:Florida National Guard (49677710561).jpg|thumb|Sample collection in USA]]
Laboratory testing for the respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the associated SARS-CoV-2 virus includes methods that detect the presence of virus and those that detect antibodies produced in response to infection. Detection of antibodies, called serology, can be used both for clinical purposes and population surveillance. As of March 2020, most countries have limited virus testing to vulnerable individuals, so it is not possible to reliably calculate the prevalence of the virus.<ref>{{cite news|title=A fiasco in the making? As the coronavirus pandemic takes hold, we are making decisions without reliable data|date=March 17, 2020|author=Ioannidis, John P.A.|url=https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-fiasco-in-the-making-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-takes-hold-we-are-making-decisions-without-reliable-data/|publisher=STAT|accessdate=March 22, 2020}}</ref>
Detection of the virus is frequently done by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) method<ref name="20200130cdc">{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html |title=2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Summary |date=30 January 2020 |website=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126210549/https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html |archive-date=26 January 2020 |access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref> on respiratory samples obtained by various methods, including nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample.<ref name="20200129cdc">{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/rt-pcr-detection-instructions.html |title=Real-Time RT-PCR Panel for Detection 2019-nCoV |date=29 January 2020 |website=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130202031/https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/rt-pcr-detection-instructions.html |archive-date=30 January 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Blood test for large scale testing of individuals to detect antibodies produced by the body as a result of an infection is under development.<ref name=CDC2020Serology>{{cite web |title=Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/testing.html |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |accessdate=20 March 2020 |language=en-us |date=11 February 2020}}</ref> Chest CT scans can sometimes help identify and characterize lung pathology, and have yielded non-specific findings with COVID-19 infection.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Salehi|first1=Sana|last2=Abedi|first2=Aidin|last3=Balakrishnan|first3=Sudheer|last4=Gholamrezanezhad|first4=Ali|date=2020-03-14|title=Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review of Imaging Findings in 919 Patients|journal=American Journal of Roentgenology|volume=215 |issue=1 |language=en|pages=87–93|doi=10.2214/AJR.20.23034|pmid=32174129|issn=0361-803X}}</ref>
Some countries have drive-through testing where samples are taken from suspected individuals by a healthcare professional using appropriate precautions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/11/21174880/coronavirus-testing-drive-thru-colorado-connecticut-washington|title=Some states are offering drive-thru coronavirus testing|last=Hawkins|first=Andrew J.|date=2020-03-11|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref>
==Test methods==
===Virus detection===
COVID-19 virus can be detected using real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).<ref name="20200130cdc"/> The test can be done on respiratory samples obtained by various methods, including nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample.<ref name="20200129cdc"/> Results are generally available within a few hours to 2 days.<ref name="globenewswire1977226">{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/01/30/1977226/0/en/Curetis-Group-Company-Ares-Genetics-and-BGI-Group-Collaborate-to-Offer-Next-Generation-Sequencing-and-PCR-based-Coronavirus-2019-nCoV-Testing-in-Europe.html |title=Curetis Group Company Ares Genetics and BGI Group Collaborate to Offer Next-Generation Sequencing and PCR-based Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Testing in Europe |date=30 January 2020 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131201626/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/01/30/1977226/0/en/Curetis-Group-Company-Ares-Genetics-and-BGI-Group-Collaborate-to-Offer-Next-Generation-Sequencing-and-PCR-based-Coronavirus-2019-nCoV-Testing-in-Europe.html |archive-date=31 January 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Antibody detection===
Part of the immune response to infection is the production of antibodies including IgM and IgG. These can be used to detect infection in individuals, to determine immunity, and in population surveillance. Blood samples are usually tested for antibody detection. As of March 2020, these tests have not yet been made available for large scale testing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Commissioner |first1=Office of the |title=Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Issues first Emergency Use Authorization for Point of Care Diagnostic |url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-issues-first-emergency-use-authorization-point-care-diagnostic |website=FDA |accessdate=23 March 2020 |language=en |date=21 March 2020}}</ref><ref name=CDC2020Serology>{{cite web |title=Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/testing.html |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |accessdate=20 March 2020 |language=en-us |date=11 February 2020}}</ref>
===CT scans===
Most common CT scan findings were bilateral ground-glass attenuation (patchy or diffuse) with subpleural dominance, crazy paving and consolidations at later stages.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Elaine Y. P. |last2=Ng |first2=Ming-Yen |last3=Khong |first3=Pek-Lan |title=COVID-19 pneumonia: what has CT taught us? |journal=The Lancet Infectious Diseases |date=24 February 2020 |issue=4 |pages=384–385 |volume=20 |doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30134-1 |pmid=32105641 |pmc=7128449 |language=English |issn=1473-3099}}</ref> These findings are nonspecific and found as well in other types of pneumonia. Thus, CT scan is not recommended for initial screening of COVID-19 as of March 2020.

==References==
{{reflist}}

MyWiki:WikiProject COVID-19/Translation Task Force/COVID-19 testing (long) - Revision history