Diagnostic testing plays a fundamental role in the mitigation and containment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as it enables immediate quarantine of those who are infected and contagious and is essential for the epidemiological characterization of the virus and estimating the number of infected cases worldwide. Confirmation of viral infections, such as COVID-19, can be achieved through two general approaches: nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) or molecular tests, and serological or antibody-based tests. The genetic material of the pathogen is detected in NAAT, and in serological tests, host antibodies produced in response to the pathogen are identified. Other methods of diagnosing COVID-19 include radiological imaging of the lungs and in vitro detection of viral antigens. This review covers different approaches available to diagnosing COVID-19 by outlining their advantages and shortcomings, as well as appropriate indications for more accurate testing.

诊断测试在缓解和遏制 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 方面发挥着重要作用，因为它可以立即隔离那些被感染和具有传染性的人，并且对于病毒的流行病学特征和估计感染病例的数量至关重要全世界。病毒感染的确认，例如 COVID-19，可以通过两种通用方法来实现：核酸扩增测试 (NAAT) 或分子测试，以及基于血清学或抗体的测试。在 NAAT 中检测到病原体的遗传物质，在血清学测试中，识别出针对病原体产生的宿主抗体。诊断 COVID-19 的其他方法包括肺部放射成像和病毒抗原的体外检测。