SARS-CoV-2: A microbiological perspective on characteristics and diagnosis

Early detection and rapid management are crucial to improve survival in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and after two years of the pandemic, many efforts have been made for early detection. Considering that COVID-19 patients may show no signs and symptoms that can distinguish COVID-19 from other infective or non-infective diseases, the use of rapid microbiological techniques is a key factor. These techniques have been developed to rapidly detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and prevent viral spread and transmission. However, recent data on the clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 during hospitalization may help physicians to suspect SARS-CoV-2 infection early and distinguish it from other etiologies. Information on clinical features and microbiological techniques will be crucial in the coming years when endemic circulation of SARS-CoV-2 will likely be associated with clusters of infection. This review aims to compile the microbiological features and diagnostic methods of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is thought to have cause the strongest pandemic in the world, in the light of the literature.