Your Ultimate Guide to COVID-19 Diagnostic Labs

With the sudden outburst of the deadly coronavirus pandemic that hit the world at the end of 2019 and the problems arising ever since, there is an urgent and continual need for reliable and efficient diagnostic labs to analyze SARS-CoV-2.

Effective and immediate care has never been more critical than during the current pandemic and diagnostic labs like Pacific Analytics play a crucial role in helping frontline healthcare teams to make an accurate and early diagnosis of COVID-19.

In this article, we will be answering all your questions regarding coronavirus disease, the associated lab tests, and diagnostic procedures.

What is a Diagnostic Laboratory?

Diagnostic labs hold a pivotal job in the healthcare process, as they need to achieve timely and accurate tests to determine patients’ diagnostic needs. It would not be an overstatement to say that it’s extremely challenging to work in this industry as on top of its intricate nature and being responsible for providing accurate diagnostic tests results that solely determines the well-being of patients: the diagnostic science and technology evolves with each passing day.

Knowing this, the entire laboratory team must stay informed on these ever-changing techniques to provide their medical partners and clients with the ideal testing services they require.

Pacific Analytics strives to provide the best diagnostic lab tests in the U.S. Our competent team members efficiently handle the daily work challenges in a diagnostic lab setup.

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Different Types of COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

Many diagnostic tests for COVID-19 are known to date, with other tests gaining approval every passing day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following types of tests for diagnosing a COVID-19 infection:

1. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

• Considered a standard gold method for COVID-19 detection.
• PCR and other molecular tests detect the virus’s genetic material. This test possesses high analytic sensitivity in ideal settings.
• A complete PCR test might take a few hours or even less than an hour with specific high-speed machines.
• Turnaround time is usually 24-48 hours, depending on the laboratory workflow.

2. Antigen Test

• It diagnoses current infection.
• Usually less sensitive than nucleic acid tests (PCR).
• It takes less than one hour to perform this test.

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3. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)

• It is a simple but less developed testing approach.
• This test is qualitative in nature.
• It needs primers that help make the looped structures for amplification. 
• It is a rapid test; however, designing the primers can be complex, and quantitative detection of the virus is also tricky.

4. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

• Quick and technically simple, easily readable, and offers relatively high output. 
• This test is used for the qualitative detection of human IgG antibodies in serum and plasma samples collected from individuals suspected of prior infection with the COVID-19 virus by their doctors.

Read on to know more about the PCR COVID test and why it is recommended.

What is a PCR COVID-19 Test?

Polymerase chain reaction or PCR test is a relatively simple and extensively used molecular biology technique to amplify and detect DNA and RNA sequences. This test is preferable by healthcare professionals because PCR requires only a few hours compared to traditional DNA cloning and amplification methods that often take several days. In addition, PCR is an extremely sensitive procedure that needs minimal templates for detecting and amplifying specific sequences.

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Choose PCR Over Antigen Testing

Usually, we need only one copy of the DNA being studied for detection in PCR, as it is amplified millions of times. But when it comes to antigen testing, it requires thousands of virions in the sample to have a positive result.

Here is why PCR is prefered over the antigen-based test:

• Firstly, antigen-based tests are not helpful for early detection, specifically when your patient is asymptomatic. It is because the viral burden in the sample will be too low to detect, leading to a false negative. 
• On the other hand, antigen-based tests are also associated with false-positive test results. It happens because the other related viral species may bind in place of the SARS-COVID-19 virus, stimulating the color or fluorescence change.
• Also, a false-positive test result can be stressful, conceivably resulting in financial, psychological, and even physical harm.

Thus, at Pacific Analytics, our team makes every possible effort to ensure that all PCR COVID test results are accurate to avoid distress and confusion.

Is the PCR Test for COVID-19 Accurate?

As mentioned above, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has been the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19 throughout the pandemic because of its accuracy. This sensitive molecular test amplifies specific segments of the transcribed viral DNA collected in a sample. Specialized diagnostic labs like Pacific Analytics can usually provide results in 24-48 hours.

Pacific Analytics Ensures Quick Turnaround Time and Accuracy! Contact Us to Experience Our High-quality Diagnostic Lab Services Now.

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Role of Diagnostic Labs in Combating COVID-19

The recent pandemic has endangered millions of lives since its spread in 2019. Consequently, it has been continuously affecting human health, financial growth, and social stability. At the same time, it highlights the significance of timely recognition, monitoring, prevention, management, and necessary intervention.

The role of diagnostic laboratory services in public health issues involves a quick, accurate, and prompt diagnosis to initiate proper treatment and effective monitoring of patients’ response to treatment. An efficient clinical laboratory like Pacific Analytics gives the most vital input to healthcare teams about patients’ disease status and further plans of action. In addition, it directs physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers in selecting the correct laboratory test methods and ensures the proper sample collection.

What diagnostic labs like Pacific Analytics has to offer:

• Suitable, accurate, and sustainable diagnostic testing capacities in response to COVID-19 needs.
• We provide a sudden capacity to process large samples to cope with COVID-19 epidemiological response requirements.
• Ensure timely and accurate results to notify their clients about public health decision-making and response activities.

What Kind of Sample is Used to Test for COVID-19?

Like other infectious diseases, proper specimen collection is the critical step in the laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19. Permissible specimens include upper respiratory tract specimens, lower respiratory tract specimens, stool specimens, whole blood specimens, serum specimens, and respiratory secretions are the most frequent diagnosis samples. 

The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends collecting an upper respiratory sample for initial diagnostic testing. In addition, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), different tests are allowed to be used with different types of specimens. The most common sample types are: 

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Swab Samples

Diagnostic labs use a swab to collect a sample from the nose or throat of the suspected person. The types of specimen include:

• Anterior (Nasal) involves collecting the sample from inside the nostril.
• Mid-turbinate – it involves taking specimens from further up inside the nose.
• Nasopharyngeal involves sample collection from deep inside the nose, reaching the back of the throat.
• Oropharyngeal – meaning taking a sample from the middle part of the throat (pharynx).

Because of limited data available regarding COVID-19, it is challenging to rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection based on a single negative PCR result, mainly when testing is used for upper respiratory tract specimens. Therefore, diagnostic labs are advised to collect and detect lower respiratory tract specimens even if the upper respiratory tract samples are negative, particularly in patients with severe conditions.

The Takeaway

Diagnostic lab tests remain the cornerstone of public health management and mitigation strategies in the current pandemic. Continuous progress in the detection methods greatly helps with the prevention, treatment, and vaccine development. 

At present, the PCR COVID-19 test is still the most commonly used and quick method to evaluate whether the patients are affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection or not. 

At Pacific Analytics, our team of highly qualified individuals is dedicated to performing COVID-19 testing and urinalysis with advanced technology that ensures accurate results and a hassle-free experience for our valuable clients. 

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