Strategies in laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 in India

Authors

Abhijit Vinodrao Boratne, Department of Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India
Lalithambigai Chellamuthu, Department of Community Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India
Yogesh Bahurupi, Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, Indi

Abstract

COVID-19 has been documented as the fifth pandemic since 1918 Spanish flu (H1N1). It began as a human cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown etiology, reported from Wuhan, China, during late December 2019. The etiological agent of the pandemic was detected as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. The Indian Council of Medical Research along with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare expanded and diversified testing capacity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis. TrueNat or cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test is for testing at primary and secondary health care level. Rapid antigen test has been designated for field level testing in containment zones as well as hospitals supplementary to RT-PCR. Antibody testing had been adopted mainly for surveillance purpose and not for confirmation of COVID-19.

Recommended Citation

Boratne, Abhijit Vinodrao; Chellamuthu, Lalithambigai; and Bahurupi, Yogesh (2021) "Strategies in laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 in India," Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU: Vol. 14: Iss. 3, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/kleuhsj.kleuhsj_405_20
Available at: https://kleijhsbr.researchcommons.org/journal/vol14/iss3/4

Pages

310

Last Page

314

Copyright

© 2021 Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU | Published by Wolters Kluwer – Medknow