Reducing False Negative PCR Test for COVID-19

Int J MCH AIDS. 2020;9(3):408-410. doi: 10.21106/ijma.421. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

Abstract

As the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic spreads rapidly, there is need for a diagnostic test with high accuracy to detect infected individuals especially those without symptoms. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a common molecular test for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2. If some factors are not taken into consideration when performing this test, it can have a relatively large number of false negative results. In this article, we discuss important considerations that could lead to false negative test reduction.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diagnosis; Emerging disease; False negatives; Genetics; RT-PCR test; Real time polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2.