Development of COVID-19 testsCOVID-19 spreads rapidly and occurs through inhalation of respiratory droplets or aerosol particles contaminated with SARS-CoV-2. The virus occurs on the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, or eyes through spray and splash; or through direct contact with SARS-CoV-2-cont

The rapid strep test (RST) is a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) that is widely used clinically to aid in the diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis caused by group A strep (GAS), sometimes called strep throat. There are several types of rapid strep tests in use, each using a different technique. How

You can contact your local or state health department or visit the department's website for information about testing. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should get tested. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider to r

What are the unusual symptoms of COVID-19?· Answer from Daniel C. DeSimone, MD· Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause a variety of signs and symptoms. The most common are fever, cough and tiredness.· Other symptoms include:· • Shortness of breath or difficulty

I've heard about antibody testing for COVID-19. What is antibody testing? Is it the same as testing to diagnose COVID-19?With all the talk about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing, it's not surprising that there's confusion about tests and how they differ. Antibody testing is usually done t

At this point in the pandemic, chances are you or someone you know has been tested for COVID-19 at least once. But do you know which test you took and the pros and cons of these different tests?I'm a molecular biologist and since April 2020, I've been part of the team on an NIH-funded project called

Mechanism of influenzaSpreadingInfected people can spread influenza virus by breathing, talking, coughing and sneezing, spreading respiratory droplets and aerosols containing virus particles into the air. Susceptible individuals may contract the flu from exposure to these particles. [13][25] Respira

Symptom-based diagnosis is fairly accurate in otherwise healthy individuals during seasonal epidemics, and in pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, or if encephalitis, myocarditis, or muscle tissue failure occurs case should be suspected. [13] Because influenza resembles oth

It is important for healthcare providers and testing professionals to understand the performance characteristics of the antigen test used, including sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value, and to follow the manufacturer's instructions for use, which summarize performanc

General guidanceAntigen testing is commonly used to diagnose other respiratory pathogens, including influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for an antigen test that recognizes SARS-CoV-2. See FDA