Expert: Reliable COVID-19 diagnosis requires PCR kits

ANKARA

While some tests used to diagnose the novel coronavirus take less time to yield results, they often are not as reliable as other tests that may take longer, such as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) kit, according to a Turkish expert.

Reliable diagnoses are essential in slowing the spread of the virus, as they allow doctors to determine carriers, particularly those who show no symptoms.

A pharmacologist at Uskudar University in Istanbul, Tayfun Uzbay told Anadolu Agency that PCR kits, which take one to three hours to show results, were more reliable as they detected the genetic material and "exact identity of the virus."

"In order to be sure [of results], the test should be taken at least three times. For the exact results, it is useful to wait for a day. Quicker results can be possible if we get more testing centers," said Uzay.

There are also the faster but less reliable antigen and antibody tests. Though these provide results in 10-15 minutes, they may give false positives or negatives, thus requiring verification from PCR tests.

Further, they can only detect the virus five to six days after contracting it, allowing the carrier can transmit it to other people.

Uzay recommended that each country determine its needs and develop its kits.

"Turkey has reliable staff and technological infrastructure, it can produce these kits quickly. Tests created in high-tech labs give better results, but these are very expensive," he said.

Turkey's health minister previously announced that PCR kits would be developed in numerous centers, including university labs.

Fahrettin Koca said: "PCR gives results in 60-75 minutes, but there is the extraction phase, taking two to two and a half hours. China has developed a kit which excludes this phase. We have this in Turkey.

"We do not use fast diagnosis kits to detect the illness, we use it to detect carriers in health staff. We also use them to check antibodies in the seventh and 14th day of the illness, to see the progress. Therefore, in our inventories, we have both PCR kits and 15-minute fast diagnosis kits."

The novel coronavirus has so far claimed 277 lives in Turkey while total registered cases stand over 15,000. There are near 1,000 patients receiving treatment in intense care units as 333 patients have fully recovered.

After first appearing in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, the virus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions.

The global death toll from the virus has hit over 48,500 with nearly 956,500 confirmed cases and almost 202,700 recoveries, according to the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Firdevs Bulut in Ankara