Journal of medical virology
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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by a novel betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly developed into a pandemic since it was first reported in December 2019. Nucleic acid testing is the standard method for the diagnosis of viral infections. However, this method reportedly has a low positivity rate. ⋯ Our findings suggest that patients who develop severe illness might experience longer virus exposure times and develop a more severe inflammatory response. The IgM-IgG test is an accurate and sensitive diagnostic method. A combination of nucleic acid and IgM-IgG testing is a more sensitive and accurate approach for diagnosis and early treatment of COVID-19.
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Review Meta Analysis
Increase in COVID-19 cases and case-fatality and case-recovery rates in Europe: A cross-temporal meta-analysis.
The new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection reported in China in December 2019 has become a pandemic in a few weeks, affecting the entire world. In this respect, it is crucial to determine the case-increase, case-fatality, and case-recovery rates to control COVID-19. In this study, the case-increase, case-fatality, and case-recovery rates of COVID-19 in 36 European countries were analyzed with the meta-analysis method using data released by the health organizations and WHO. ⋯ Although the rate of increase in new COVID-19 cases has dropped, there is not much decline in the case-fatality rates and no increase in case-recovery rates. The case-fatality rate of COVID-19 in Europe was estimated to be in the range of 4% to 4.5% and a minimum of 4 weeks (as of 11 May) is expected to have the figure below 1% in a country with an average case-increase rate. Monitoring case fatalities in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden, and treatment successes in Germany and Austria play a role of utmost importance.
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The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quickly spread all over China and to more than 20 other countries. Although the virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus [SARS-Cov-2]) nucleic acid real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has become the standard method for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, these real-time PCR test kits have many limitations. In addition, high false-negative rates were reported. ⋯ The results indicated great detection consistency among samples from fingerstick blood, serum and plasma of venous blood. The IgM-IgG combined assay has better utility and sensitivity compared with a single IgM or IgG test. It can be used for the rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 carriers, symptomatic or asymptomatic, in hospitals, clinics, and test laboratories.