Detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Image source. Image Description: Picture of a test tube with a blood sample in it and the words COVID-19 written on the tube. The box next to the plus sign is checked, while the box next to the minus sign is blank. In the background, a healthcare provider can be seen next to the Isolation Ward sign.

In one of my earlier posts, I describe viral load and how it is measured. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided Emergency Use Authorization (EUAs) for various tests used to diagnose COVID-19 caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Manufacturers use various techniques to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, such as molecular tests, antigen tests, serology or antibody tests, and adaptive immune response tests.

Image source. Image Description: A table showing an example of a diagnostic test with an Emergency Use Authorization provided by the Food and Drug Administration.

Above is a snippet of a table with a list of diagnostic tests approved by the FDA for emergency use. Between last year and today, the FDA has given EUAs for hundreds of COVID tests. In the bar chart below, I show the number and the types of COVID tests approved since 2020. The FDA authorized the use of 224 molecular diagnostic tests, 72 serology and adaptive immune response tests, 32 nucleic acid detection tests, 15 antigen diagnostic tests, and 3 tests to manage COVID-19 patients.