. 2020 Apr 30;53(4):191–205. doi: 10.5483/BMBRep.2020.53.4.080

Table 1.

Details about the specimens/samples used for the COVID-19 detection

Specimen	Form of sample collection	Volume Required	Collection Material	Storage Temperature	Disease Condition	Test can be done
Nasopharyngeal Swab	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Synthetic fibre swabs with plastic shafts	2-8°C	Recommended for both symptomatic and asymptomatic	RT-PCR
Nasopharyngeal Swab	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Synthetic fibre swabs with plastic shafts	2-8°C	Recommended for both symptomatic and asymptomatic	RDT
Oropharyngeal Swab	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Synthetic fibre swabs with plastic shafts	2-8°C	Symptomatic Condition	RT-PCR
Oropharyngeal Swab	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Synthetic fibre swabs with plastic shafts	2-8°C	Symptomatic Condition	RDT
Bronchoalveolar lavage	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sterile Container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RT-PCR
Bronchoalveolar lavage	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sterile Container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RDT
Tracheal aspirate	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sterile Container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RT-PCR
Tracheal aspirate	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sterile Container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RDT
Sputum	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sputum collection cup or sterile dry container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RT-PCR
Sputum	Frozen	0.8-1.4 ml	Sputum collection cup or sterile dry container	2-8°C	Severe Condition	RDT
Urine	Normal	0.8-1.4 ml	Urine collection container	2-8°C	To confirm the viral infection	RT-PCR
Blood	Normal	0.8-1.4 ml	EDTA & ACT tubes	2-8°C	To confirm the viral infection	RT-PCR
						RDT
						ELISA
						Neutralization assay
Stool	Normal	-	Stool container	2-8°C	To confirm the viral infection	RT-PCR

RT-PCR: Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction; RDT: Rapid Diagnostic Test; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.