There are two types of tests that are currently available for determining if a patient has COVID-19, which includes an antibody response test and a RNA genome test. The RNA genome test is being used primarily for patients with active symptoms of COVID-19 because it only tells you if you have the virus currently. The antibody response test has been developed to determine if you had the virus already and if you have built up an immune response to it. The RNA genome test will be helpful in ruling out if that is the cause of the person’s illness or for stopping the spread of the virus further by tracing how the virus is spreading. I think the antibody response test will be very useful soon because it will allow for everyone to be tested and determine if they have built up immunity and can return to their normal lives.
The antibody response tests are being developed by all kinds of researchers and are trying to be made available widespread. The serological test created by Stanford researchers takes blood from the patient and tests the plasma for antibodies for the virus. The article says that the test determines if there is IgG, IgM, or both antibodies within the plasma and based on that the patient would either have a built up immune response to it or not. IgM antibodies are the first antibodies to appear when an infection happens and if only they were present then the infection would still be happening and the person would not have an immunity. IgG antibodies are the second antibodies to appear and have a longer half life which means they stick around after the infection to provide an immunity of the virus. This means that if all IgM antibodies were gone and only IgG was within the plasma then the patient would have an immune response to the virus and would fight off the infection fast with little to no symptoms if they got it again.
The discovery of immune responses being developed within patients would mean that they could go back to work and other activities. This would also mean though that they could become a carrier of the disease and should be mindful of people in the population who have not yet built up an immune response or are at risk. The antibody immune response test should not be the sole test for COVID-19 though because when it is active antibodies might not yet be built up so it would be innacurate. This is why the RNA genome sequencing test is being used to diagnose symptomatic patients. This testing works by using samples of cells within the back of the throat that is then isolated for just the RNA and put through PCR. The article says that the PCR works by converting the RNA to DNA and then combining it with a sample of the virus DNA to see if it will bind and reproduce the virus DNA and if not then it is not a match. Both of these tests are going to be very vital to the world population for determining who is sick and who is immune so that at risk people have a better chance of not catching the disease.
Chloe's Microbiology Blog 