Abstract
Respiratory tract infection is one of the most common diseases in human worldwide.
Many viruses are implicated in these infections, including emerging viruses, such
as the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Identification of the causative viral pathogens of respiratory tract infections is
important to select a correct management of patients, choose an appropriate treatment,
and avoid unnecessary antibiotics use. Different diagnostic approaches present variable
performance in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and time-to-result, that
have to be acknowledged to be able to choose the right diagnostic test at the right
time, in the right patient. This review describes currently available rapid diagnostic
strategies and syndromic approaches for the detection of viruses commonly responsible
for respiratory diseases.
Keywords
laboratory - respiratory - virus - diagnosis
