Table 9.
Government directives, test clusters, and available testing locations for patients with highly infectious diseases.
| Disease | Test Clusters | Available Test Locations |
Government Directives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) | ● RT-PCR | ● Levels 1 and 2 | Decision 250/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, 28 January 2022 |
| ● Rapid antigen | ● Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 | ||
| Zika | ● IgM a | ● Not available | Decision no. 439/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of Zika, 5 February 2016 |
| ● RT-PCR b | ● Not available i | ||
| ● Fetal ultrasound c | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | ||
| Dengue fever | ● Rapid test d: NS1, IgM | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | Decision no. 458/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of dengue fever, 16 February 2011 |
| ● ELISA e: IgM, IgG | ● Levels 1 and 2 | ||
| ● PCR f | ● Levels 1 and 2 | ||
| ● Viral culture f | ● Not available | ||
| Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) | ● RT-PCR | ● Not available i | Decision no. 3014/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of MERS-CoV, 13 August 2014 |
| Ebola virus disease (EVD) | ● Antigen | ● Not available | Decision no. 2968/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of Ebola Virus Disease, 8 August 2014 |
| ● Antibody | ● Not available | ||
| ● PCR | ● Not available i | ||
| ● Viral culture | ● Not available | ||
| Malaria | ● Giemsa blood smear test | ● Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 | Decision no. 4845/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria, 8 September 2016 |
| ● Rapid diagnostic tests | ● Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 | ||
| Syphilis | ● Dark field microscopy | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | Decision no. 75 QD/BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of dermatologic diseases, pg. 190–191, 13 January 2015 |
| ● Nonspecific tests (RPR and VDRL) | ● Levels 1 and 2 | ||
| ● Specific tests (TPI, FTA, FTA-ABS, and TPHA) | ● Levels 1 and 2 | ||
| Cholera | ● Fecal smear | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | Decision no. 4178/QD-BYT Directive for the diagnosis and treatment of cholera, 21 October 2017 |
| ● Fecal culture | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | ||
| ● PCR | ● Not available j | ||
| Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | ● HIV tests g | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | Decision no. 3047 QD/BYT Directive for the management, treatment, and care of HIV/AIDS, pg. 89–91, 22 July 2015 |
| ● PCR h | ● Not available j | ||
| Tuberculosis | ● Chest X-ray | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | Decision no. 4263 QD/BYT Directive for the diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis of tuberculosis, pg. 1–2, 13 October 2015 |
| ● AFB test | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | ||
| ● GeneXpert MTB/RIF | ● Not available k,l | ||
| ● Sputum culture | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | ||
| Methicillin- resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) | ● Bacterial culture-sensitivity test | ● Levels 1, 2, and 3 | None available |
| Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) |
● No specific test | ● Not applicable | Decision no. 1113/2003/QD/BYT Directive for the diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis of SARS, 4 April 2003 |
Abbreviations: AFB, acid-fast bacteria; CBC, complete blood cell count, ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; FTA/FTA-ABS, fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption; MTB/RIF, mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to rifampicin; NS1, nonstructural protein-1; RPR, rapid plasma regain; RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; TB, tuberculosis; TPHA, treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay; TPI; treponema pallidum immunization; VDRL, venereal disease research laboratory. Footnotes: a Performed four days after the onset of symptoms. b Test chosen for Zika diagnosis with specimens of either serum, urine, CSF, or amniotic fluid. c Performed in infected pregnant women in order to detect microcephaly in the fetus. d Detect NS1 antigen within the first five days; detect IgM antibody after the fifth day. e Detect IgM: taken after the fifth day; detect IgG: taken 2 times, 1 week apart. If the second reading is 4 times the value of the first test, then patient is ruled as positive for having dengue fever. f Viral isolation from blood sample collected when patient is suffering from a fever. g For children older than 18 months old and adults. Adults are diagnosed on the basis of HIV antibody testing: having HIV seropositive for all three HIV antibody tests from different types of biological agents as described by the Ministry of Health. h For children <18 months old. i Suspected cases are sent and are confirmed in centers which are verified by WHO and are authorized by the Ministry of Health (National Hospital of Tropical Disease, Hospital of Tropical diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, and Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City). j No reagents are available to perform the test. k GeneXpert MTB/RIF is available at the TB and Respiratory Disease Center; however, it is unavailable at any hospital level. l Hue University Hospital has PCR instrument to detect TB.