Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorPan American Health Organization
dc.date.accessioned2020-07-01T21:00:08Z
dc.date.available2020-07-01T21:00:08Z
dc.date.issued2020-05-06
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12663/1911
dc.identifier.urihttps://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/52138
dc.description.abstractEtiological confirmation of COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) infection can only be made by laboratory tests. In general, the currently available assays for COVID-19 can be classified into two groups: • The first group (virological tests) includes tests that can detect the presence of the components of the virus (genetic material or antigens). These tests can confirm the diagnosis of patients with symptoms compatible with COVID-19, detect infections in populations with high-risk of infection (such as health workers) or severity (hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular history, chronic respiratory, immunosuppression, cancer, etc.), and assess whether an individual recovered from COVID-19 may still be infectious. • The second group of tests (serological) detects antibodies (IgM or IgG) generated as part of the individual's immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that is, they indicate previous or ongoing contact. The immunity (protection) conferred by the antibodies is still under investigation. Once sufficient evidence is available, serological tests would be, together with direct virus detection, an essential tool in the development of strategies that allow relaxation of current public health measures.
dc.languageEnglish
dc.subjectInfecctious Diseases
dc.subjectCOVID-19
dc.subjectCoronavirus
dc.titleInterpretation of laboratory results for COVID-19 diagnosis, 6 May 2020
eihealth.countryRegional, Americas (PAHO/OPS)
eihealth.categoryInfection prevention and control, including health care workers protection
eihealth.typeWHO/PAHO Guidance
eihealth.maincategorySave Lives / Salvar Vidas


Files in this item

FilesSizeFormatView

There are no files associated with this item.

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record