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Croatian Journal of Infection, Vol. 40 No. 3, 2020.

Review article

https://doi.org/10.37797/ig.40.3.3

COVID-19 Microbiological and Radiological Diagnostics

Karlo Jeličić orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-0369-7045 ; University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević“, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Christian Kurolt ; Scientific Research Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević“, Zagreb, Croatia
Armin Mehmedović ; Radiological and Ultrasound Diagnostics Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević“, Zagreb, Croatia
Klaudija Višković orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-5927-3201 ; Radiological and Ultrasound Diagnostics Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević“, Zagreb, Croatia
Oktavija Đaković Rode orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-8023-4314 ; Clinical Microbiology Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević“, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Croatia

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic methods and their optimal implementation. The main routine microbiological diagnostic tools are molecular and serological methods. Sensitivity and utilisation of molecular methods is the best at the disease onset, while serological methods are the best if used at least 5-7 days after disease onset. Positive molecular test result (real-time polymerase chain reaction; RT-PCR) must be interpreted in the clinical presentation context. A sampling site for molecular analysis is based on disease severity; upper and lower respiratory tract samples are used for mild and severe presentations, respectively. Virus cultivation is the only method of proving the existence of a viable virus in a tissue sample, but due to the method complexity, it is not a part of a routine process. Ground glass opacities with or without reticular pattern and/or consolidation are typical findings for COVID-19 pneumonia. Multi-slice computerized tomography (MSCT) is a superior radiological method for performing X-ray of the chests.

Keywords

COVID-19 nucelic acid testing; COVID-19 serological testing; COVID-19 testing; SARS-CoV-2; diagnostic imaging

Hrčak ID:

252504

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/252504

Publication date:

22.2.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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