Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Testing Kit

Target information

The Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Testing Kit is a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for qualitative detection of COVID-19 antigen in specimens collected from the surface of the respiratory mucosa with nasopharyngeal swabs to aid in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.

Early January 2020, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, formerly known as 2019-nCoV) was identified as the infectious agent causing an outbreak of viral pneumonia (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that are distributed broadly among humans, other mammals, and birds and can cause respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurologic diseases. Six coronavirus species previously are known to cause human disease. Four viruses, 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1, are prevalent and typically cause common cold symptoms in immunocompetent individuals. The two other strains, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are zoonotic in origin and sometimes have been linked to fatal illness. Common signs of infection of SARS-CoV-2 include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.