The nucleic acid detection in COVID-19 is carried out by laboratory method, which plays an important role in finding confirmed cases, suspected cases and asymptomatic infected persons in COVID-19, ensuring "early detection, early reporting, early isolation and early treatment" and quickly cutting off the transmission route of the virus.
In order to improve the standardization and timeliness of nucleic acid detection, the results of nucleic acid detection in fever outpatients can generally be obtained within 4-6 hours; The results of nucleic acid detection of general outpatient, emergency, hospitalized patients and accompanying personnel were within 12 hours.
For those who are willing to do all the tests, the results are generally within 24 hours. In addition, for more difficult specimens, it is necessary to repeatedly detect or even collect specimens, and the required time will be appropriately extended.
Principle of nucleic acid detection:
All living things contain nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA. Novel coronavirus is a virus containing only RNA, and the specific RNA sequence in the virus is a sign to distinguish the virus from other pathogens. After novel coronavirus appeared.
Scientists in China completed the whole genome sequence analysis of novel coronavirus in a short time, and found the specific nucleic acid sequence in novel coronavirus by comparing it with the genome sequences of other species. If novel coronavirus's specific nucleic acid sequence can be detected in patients' samples during clinical laboratory testing, it should be suggested that patients may be infected by novel coronavirus.