key: cord-0685769-3zwe1yvn
authors: Hernández‐Huerta, María Teresa; Pérez‐Campos Mayoral, Laura; Sánchez Navarro, Luis Manuel; Mayoral‐Andrade, Gabriel; Pérez‐Campos Mayoral, Eduardo; Zenteno, Edgar; Pérez‐Campos, Eduardo
title: Should RT‐PCR be considered a gold standard in the diagnosis of COVID‐19?
date: 2020-07-14
journal: J Med Virol
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26228
sha: abbcc5f5db96f3ff81086be7dba80eddf5af9a61
doc_id: 685769
cord_uid: 3zwe1yvn

In reference to the comments by Dramé M., et al., 2020, that question the possibility of whether the reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) for viral load should be considered a gold standard in the diagnosis of Covid-19. They justify this doubt due to its sensitivity, which only reaches 38%, and is certainly no better than luck. However, in the cited publication by Liu K., et al., 2020, Hainan, China, it does not specify RT-PCR sensitivity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Should RT-PCR be considered a gold standard in the diagnosis of COVID-19?

To the Editor, In reference to the comments by Dramé et al, 1 that question the possibility of whether the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for viral load should be considered a gold standard in the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They justify this doubt due to its sensitivity, which only reaches 38%, and is certainly no better than luck. However, in the cited publication by Liu et al, 2 Hainan, China, it does not specify RT-PCR sensitivity. The position is remarkably interesting, considering that in one test their ability to make a diagnosis or screen for a condition often varies in prevalence. A change in prevalence from a lower to a higher value corresponds to a change in both sensitivity and specificity, 3 it is also the case in studies by Cassaniti et al, 4 Lombardy, Northern Italy. In neither of these studies is the 

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