Abstract:

Objectives: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the results of rapid antibody diagnostic tests performed in the context of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis and screening in our hospital. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, the results of rapid antibody tests performed in our hospital between March 2020 and July 2020 were evaluated. The age, sex, clinical cases, ward, tomography results, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results of the participants were analyzed retrospectively. Computed tomography results have been examined in relation between the PCR results and clinical evaluations with rapid antibody test results. Results: A total of 208 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 50.5 years. Antibody positivity was detected in 12 patients included in the study, and the antibody positivity rate was 5.7%. While the antibody positivity rate in COVID-19 hospitalized patients with negative PCR results was 9.5%, it was 33.3% in PCR positive patients (p=0.070). Three (42.9%) of seven patients who were antibody positive and had pneumonia on computed tomography (CT) were also PCR positive. Nine (4.3%) out of the 208 patients in the entire study group were PCR positive. The antibody test was positive in all three of these patients. Conclusion: The gold standard method in the diagnosis of COVID-19 is the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR). According to clinical observations, PCR test sensitivity and reliability for COVID-19 are currently unsatisfactory. Disadvantages of this method make infection control difficult during pandemic. Therefore, COVID-19 is expected that the infection screening and diagnostic test would provide accurate results in a short period of time. Since antibody tests are cost-effective, easy-to-apply, and provide rapid results, they are among the diagnostic methods that can be used throughout the country. Using a combination of molecular and serological tests during the pandemic will increase diagnosis rates and make infection control easier.

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