How accurate is the Coronavirus test?

The Quarantine Zone
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What is the lowdown on this coronavirus test that is being shipped out? how accurate is it, how long does it take to get processed, who makes it etc.?

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Nothing?

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Centers for Disease Control: CDC Tests for COVID-19.

The current test is 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-PCR Diagnostic Panel, which is what is referred to as a molecular test because it looks for the presence of viral RNA as identified by specific fragments of RNA. The protocols for this panel were actually developed for the MERS outbreak in 2014 and were adapted for the virus now identified as SARS-CoV-2. There is no simple way to assess the “accuracy” of the test in terms of reliability of detection of an individual; it is common to run the test two or three times because of inconclusive results, or negative results with an apparently symptomatic patient. Because it is actually running a DNA sequence PCR amplification test, if there is not a very high viral load at the time the sample is taken it may return negative even for a patient who is infected. There is also the possibility of a false positive due to contamination; for that reason there are rigorous protocols regarding the sterilization of equipment and use of purified reagents.

The CDC is developing a serology test to look for antibodies, which are the immunoglobulins that B cells produce to neutralize foreign pathogens. This test does not detect the presence of infection in the initial stages because it requires the immune system to first produce the antibodies in quantity, but is useful because unlike molecular tests, which will show negative once the infection has subsided, it will demonstrate if a patient has had the infection, which is useful for epidemiological purposes of tracking disease. These assays are generally very reliable in detecting specific antigens but can take a lot of effort to develop, and as noted, do not aid in detecting the early stage of infection prior to patient immunoresponse.

Stranger

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Good to see you back **Stranger **…

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Ditto, Stranger. Glad you dropped in!