Chapter 7 - Testing viral infections

ABSTRACT

Viral diagnostics was previously confined to research purposes, but with the advent of modern modalities it has transcended the limits and forayed into main stream diagnostics. It is now a significant contributor towards prognosis, management and prevention strategies. Since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more important to accurately diagnose and differentiate various viral infections as the clinical features can be overlapping and confusing many a times. A misdiagnosed viral infection can play havoc on a patient’s health, as the severity of the infection and its clinical features may not always be in sync. So, it is of utmost importance to diagnose a viral infection using either point of care tests or advanced expert systems based on the available resources rather than going with the instincts, in this era of diagnostic revolution. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the various diagnostic modalities and developments in the field of virology that may augment our decision-making capacity for the best possible patient outcome.