How reliable are the corona test results? Can a positive corona test be wrong? What about the negative test? How to find out if you have this disease or not.

The above questions and similar ones are among the common questions that have occupied people's minds with the long-term spread of the corona disease and the emergence of different types of this disease that have different symptoms.

In this article from the GCORP LLC blog, join us to see closely the results of the corona test, whether the test result is negative or false, and many other things.

Types of corona tests and their accuracy

Today, the PCR test is known as the main standard for diagnosing the corona disease. The result of this test is very accurate and can identify all types of variants and mutations of the corona virus, even the delta corona virus.

Molecular test PCR

During the last two years, we have heard the name of PCR test many times and we are more or less familiar with how it is performed.... In this test, samples are taken from the mucus of these areas using nose and throat swabs, and within 24 to 72 hours, the result of infection or non-infection of the person is determined as a "positive" response..

Antigen test

Antigen tests are often used for rapid diagnosis of corona disease.... This is also done by sampling the mucus of the nose and throat with a swab, and the result of the test is determined by identifying a protein that is part of the Covid-19 virus.

Regarding antigen tests, it should be noted that these tests have their own advantages.... which can be mentioned as follows:

• Fast detection
• Possibility of continuous testing
• Low cost compared to "PCR" test

But on the other hand, they also have disadvantages, the most important of which is the "low accuracy" of these tests compared to a test like "PCR".

Regarding these types of tests, you should also keep the following two points in mind:

• If the person is not in the peak period of their infection, antigen test results can be "false negative".
• If the antigen test is positive, the person should also do a "PCR" test to be more sure.

In some cases, the result of the antigen test can be "false positive". Therefore, the best way to make sure that you have this disease or not is to do a "PCR" test.

Corona detection antibody tests

There is another type of corona detection test, which is known as antibody test or "serology test"..

In antibody tests, the way and effects of the body's immune system response, such as the behavior of white blood cells and their number, are checked. In this method, the test result can be determined indirectly by checking the amount of antibodies affected in the body.>

Since antibody production usually starts one or two weeks after the virus enters the body, during this time other tests such as "antigen test" and "rapid corona test" may show false negative results.

During the attack of the Covid-19 virus on the body, first IgM and IgG antibodies are produced. In the early days of the disease, IgM may not be detectable, so checking the amount of antibodies is the main criterion to determine whether you are in this group of tests.. Antibody and antigen tests are usually used to diagnose infection or immunity in a person, and their results are weaker than PCR.

See more: List of Best Internal Medicine Doctors

Antibody test, PCRor antigen, which is better?

According to the announcement of the World Health Organization, RT-PCR genetic testing has been introduced as the main and most accurate method for diagnosing the infectious diseases of Covid-19 and its sub-branches.... In this test, it is checked after taking samples from the mucus of the throat and nose (respiratory system and the place where the three genetic factors of the corona virus are checked).. Kits.

In the results of this test, you can get detailed information about the amount and presence of the Covid-19 virus and its type.... Therefore, the PCR test is the most reliable method for diagnosing the disease of Covid-19 even in the early days... Other serology and antigen tests can also help check the history of the disease and prevent its spread.

If you have recently been in an infected environment or have been in contact with a person who has a history of this disease, it is better to do a PCR test immediately and see a specialist doctor to make sure of your health status.

You can even share your behavioral history with your doctor based on his opinion, so that he can suggest the best method and time to perform the test... Choosing the type of corona test has a very important impact on the prevention of the spread of the disease, the treatment process and your recovery... For more information, the following can help you make a better decision:

• The detection accuracy of the "PCR" test is more than 90%.
• The accuracy of serology tests reaches 30% in the first week and 70-90% in the weeks after infection.
• The level of accuracy of antigen tests is much lower than other tests and in many cases, even though the person is infected, it shows a negative or false positive result.

This is why we insist on relying on the best type of testing to diagnose the disease... because it is possible that even in the case of infection and carrier (especially in the incubation period), some tests will show the result "negative", but the person himself knows that he has recently been in an infected place or suspects that, in addition, he has been in contact with a person with corona.. The result of a rapid home test for antibodies or antigens is negative.

In this case, go to a specialized laboratory and take a "PCR" test... Quarantine yourself until the result is known, and then if the test is positive, you "definitely" have the corona virus.... Go to a specialist doctor and prepare for the hard days of quarantine.

As a result, it should be said that the PCR test is the most reliable way to diagnose the disease even in the first weeks.. If you have the initial symptoms of corona, including fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and body pain, you should do a PCR test.

Read more: What is fbs test?... The best time to do it

Are the answers of rapid corona tests also reliable?

Rapid corona tests are actually antibody and antigen detection tests and kits that are less sensitive than the detection of the Covid-19 virus... The results of these tests are usually more accurate in the second week after contact with the infected person and other cases.

But these tests are also not error-free... So in certain cases, if you use them in the first week, it may be a "false negative result" and others may get a "false positive result".

If the test is positive, it generally indicates that the person is infected with the corona disease, and it can rarely be considered a false positive result... But if the test result is negative, but you yourself suspect that you have contracted the disease, it is better to do the "PCR" test as mentioned and be sure of the definitive result.

What is a false positive corona test?

In some cases, a person may not be infected with corona, but the test is positive.... such a result is called "false positive result of corona"... so far, less than 7...% of the total results have such an error.

Usually this happens when using rapid corona detection kits, antibody and antigen tests....so to be more sure, the person should do the PCR test and make sure of his infection....after that, start the period of quarantine and treatment....depending on the severity of the disease, the person may need special care.

The rate of false positive results is very low, especially with the PCR test... but it is still not possible to say with certainty that all tests are perfect.... Depending on the circumstances, if your test was positive but you had no symptoms, it is better to quarantine yourself for a while and test again... Be sure to do this with the doctor's opinion, because you may need additional tests to confirm the result>..

Some false positive cases of the corona test are also related to human errors. in such cases, keep calm and consult a doctor... if necessary, retest... It's possible that the samples were wrong in the lab or the person doing the test made a mistake, so don't worry.

People whose covid test result is diagnosed as false positive do not need to be admitted to the hospital.

Among the main reasons for the positive result of Corona, the following can be mentioned:

• Laboratory errors and unknown reactions (for example, the virus behaves differently with the covid-19 virus versus the experiment)
• Simultaneous infectious diseases and an increase in the number of viruses in the body (very severe colds and underlying respiratory diseases, etc.)
• Wrong sampling
• Errors in medical records
• misdiagnosis of contamination

These are among the things that cause a false positive for the corona test... especially if a person has an underlying disease such as diabetes or autoimmune diseases, with a simple cold, the amount of antibodies in his body increases, which can cause a false positive for the corona virus in the antibody, antigen, and rapid diagnosis kits of this disease.

Please note the following points:

• Never arbitrarily try to interpret test results or home remedies.
• If you have recently been in an infected place or you suspect that you have been in contact with someone who is a carrier and the result of corona is positive in the antibody test, quarantine yourself and do the necessary protocols.. The first step is to do the PCR test.
• If the test result is positive and there are no symptoms, keep calm and see a doctor, most likely you are not sick.
• Avoid doing arbitrary and continuous tests.... If you suffer from obsession, it is better to see a specialist doctor and discuss your problem with him.

Read this article: Interpretation and Analysis of Corona Test Results

What is a false negative corona test?

But the most important thing is when you have the symptoms of corona disease, you have recently been in an infected place or you have been in contact with a carrier, but the result of your antibody and antigen test is negative.

This result is called a "false negative result of Corona", which is very dangerous.... If you feel that you have contracted the disease and you used the antibody and antigen test in the first days, and the result was negative, you should not trust it.... Immediately proceed to do a "PCR" test.

If your symptoms are mild, be sure to quarantine yourself and inform other family members about this problem.. This disease is highly contagious and can have different symptoms in different people and affect others much more severely.

When the result of the corona test is incorrect, it is likely that you are a carrier of the disease and the covid-19 virus is in the incubation period, so do not rely on serology tests and give a "PCR" test.... This test will determine whether you have this disease or not within 1-2 days.

Corona test accuracy depends on what factors?

According to the World Health Organization, the accuracy of corona tests depends on various factors, including the following:

• The type of kit used by the patient
• Virus title
• Type of sampling
• How to diagnose the disease
• Disease spread processes

The effect of the type of test on the false positive or negative result of Corona

The most accurate and best test to identify corona disease is PCR test.... This test can detect the presence of the virus in the mucous membrane of the throat and nose even in the early stages, so it is better for people to use the PCR test at the very first stage, if they have doubts or symptoms of the disease, instead of using home tests or rapid blood tests.

Usually, rapid corona detection kits called "rapid test" determine the result by taking blood samples from people in less than a few hours.... But if the person does not have symptoms and the result of his "PCR" test is also negative, the negative result can be trusted.

But the positive thing about these tests is that the rapid corona test kits in cases that are positive often have reliable results and are very effective in the process of preventing the spread of the disease and treating the person. If the result of the immediate test is positive, it means that the corona disease is out of the incubation period and the time has come for symptoms to appear.

See more: Best Infectious Specialist

Other supplementary tests for corona detection

Among the other tests that are performed to check whether a person is infected or not and to make sure that the corona test is negative or incorrect, the following can be mentioned:

• CT scan of the lung
• Radiology and chest imaging
• Quantitative CRP tests
• Dimmer test
• IGM tests
• IGG tests
• interleukin 6 test

Be careful that in all the above cases, the tests should be done at the doctor's discretion and the person cannot interpret the test results arbitrarily.

Read this article: What are the differences between different tests for the corona virus?

Generally, corona tests can be divided into three main categories:

• The best test for diagnosis: "PCR"
test
• The best test to detect the level of the body's immune system and antibodies: serology and antigen tests
• Tests to check the severity of the disease: CT lung scan, radiology and IGM and IGG tests

Conclusion

In the end, whatever the result of your test, GCORP LLC's suggestion is to do a PCR test and see a doctor to make sure you have the disease or not.... Be careful that the Corona disease has swept the world for more than a year and has killed thousands of people.. that you are infected with the virus and your primary antibody and antigen test is negative, be sure to do a PCR test... this will reduce new types Corona and the further spread of this disease.... For more advice and guidance, you can visit the "GCORP LLC" site and get to know the best doctors in any field.

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