WHAT ROLE DOES THE BIOLOGY LABORATORY PLAY IN THE RESPONSE TO COVID19 PANDEMIC?

The new pandemic caused by SARS-Cov-2 has had a major impact on clinical microbiology since confirmation of infection is based on virological diagnosis. This publication has the aim to clarify the strategy of laboratories in the management of patients Covid 19. At the pre-analytical stage, the choice of the site of the sample at the level of the respiratory tract as well as the right time constitutes an essential step for a rapid and reliable virological diagnosis of COVID-19, while ensuring the optimal conditions of safety for laboratory staff. At the analytical stage, RT - PCR in real time remains the reference test for the diagnosis of the acute phase of Covid-19. Based on molecular biology methods, they make it possible to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the body of an individual and therefore to confirm a diagnosis of Covid- 19. Serological tests meanwhile determine whether no one has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, identifying the presence in the body of antibodies produced following infection. Asymptomatic individuals can thus also be identified. In some cases, for symptomatic patients, serological tests can be used in addition to RT-PCR tests to confirm a diagnosis or identify false negatives. Serological tests, however, have a crucial role in epidemiological surveillance in order to estimate the actual spread of the infection in the population. For the post - analytical stage, the test results must be carefully interpreted. Some data concerning the guidelines for diagnosing covid19 are subject to change, due to the emergence of several scientific publications and on the basis of new expert recommendations.