Do not blindly trust negative diagnostic test results!

Christoph Buchta ¹

Heinz Zeichhardt ²

Andreas Osterman ³

Lucy A Perrone ⁴

Andrea Griesmacher ^{1, 5}

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Austrian Association for Quality Assurance and Standardization of Medical and Diagnostic Tests (ÖQUASTA), Vienna A-1090, Austria |

IQVD GmbH, Institut für Qualitätssicherung in der Virusdiagnostik, Berlin, Germany |

Max von Pettenkofer Institute & Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, LMU München, Munich, Germany |

⁴

Canadian Microbiology Proficiency Testing Program (CMPT) Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada |

⁵

Central Institute of Clinical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria |

Publication type: Journal Article

Publication date: 2024-02-01

Elsevier

Journal: The Lancet Microbe

scimago Q1

SJR: 5.392

CiteScore: 27.2

Impact factor: 20.9

ISSN: 26665247

DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00340-3

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Microbiology (medical)

Microbiology

Infectious Diseases

Virology

Abstract

The shift to a colder season is generally accompanied by an annual increase in respiratory infections. In early September, 2023, European epidemiological surveillance systems reported the first annual signs of increased COVID-19 infections.1 Efforts to increase testing activity have started,2 and the expected rise in testing frequency calls for a precautionary reminder of the limitations of diagnostic testing and screening for infectious pathogens. Every diagnostic test system has unique performance characteristics, including its overall sensitivity and specificity, which reflect the assay design.

Found

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Science of the Total Environment	Science of the Total Environment, 1, 50% Science of the Total Environment 1 publication, 50%
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine	Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 1, 50% Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 1 publication, 50%
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