Point-of-care diagnosis of COVID-19 disease based on antigen tests.

AIMS: This review is focused on the laboratory diagnoses of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by recognizing the antigen of the causative agent SARS-CoV-2 virus. Various antigen tests are available in this moment and these tests are being further developed in order to reach a better diagnostic value. The issue is reviewed in a complex view. METHODS: In this work, a complex survey of the current literature was made. The relevant and recent papers related to antigen tests of COVID-19 are discussed and cited. Basic specifications of the antigen tests and competitive methods were also scrutinized in the current literature. RESULTS: The survey of the current literature (years 2019 ‒ 2021) was made and diagnostic methods like lateral flow tests (lateral flow immunochromatographic assay) and various types of biosensors were specified as tools for COVID-19 diagnosis and their application to be used as a point-of-care test is considered. CONCLUSIONS: Small hand-held assays applicable in the point-of-care conditions for diagnosis of COVID-19 by analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antigen are the means of a growing interest and these means undergo a significant development leading to the improvements of their specifications and applicability to the current praxis. Merit of the assays is discussed in this paper (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 109).

COVID-19 molecular level laboratory diagnoses.

AbstractAIMS: Aims: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused not only global pandemic, but it also pointed at unprepared health care systems and countermeasures were introduced under the pressure of urgent circumstances. This review is focused on discussion and critical evaluation of instrumental tools for COVID-19 diagnosis that were developed in the last months. METHODS: Survey of actual literature and scientific reports was made. The most substantial analytical and diagnostical methods were identified and described. Principles and limitations of the methods are described, and actual papers are cited in this review. RESULTS: Analytical and diagnostical methods like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Loop-mediated isothermal Amplification (LAMP), Lateral Flow Immunochromatography Assay (LFIA), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), biosensors and ChemiLuminescence ImmunoAssay (CLIA) are discussed for assay of viral particles, antigens and specific host antibodies in blood, serum, plasma, nasopharyngeal swab and other samples in order to diagnose COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease that has spread over the world since the end of year 2019. The global epidemic pointed at the necessity to introduce sensitive methods for instrumental diagnosis of COVID-19 and distinguishing it from the other viral diseases. (Tab. 2, Ref. 96).