Introduction on Laboratory Tests for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders Publisher



Sadeghalvad M^{1, 2, 3} ; Rezaei N^{1, 2, 3}
Source: Encyclopedia of Infection and Immunity Published:2022

Abstract

Laboratory tests are particularly useful in validating a diagnosis, predicting disease severity, and monitoring disease progression in patients with infectious diseases or immunological disorders. Timely diagnostic assessment and implementation of reliable tests are extremely important in disease management. There are several methods that can directly or indirectly detect infectious agents or immune system abnormalities. Pathogen isolation and serological methods are the conventional diagnostic tests that are widely used to recognize the cause of a disease. Furthermore, molecular diagnostics became an important tool in healthcare in the early 1990s, when specific monoclonal antibody technology was developed. In this article, we will review the most important laboratory tests that are widely used to diagnose infectious diseases or various immunological disorders, including autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency disorders. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.