antigen test
Infection screening tool
An antigen test detects specific proteins from a pathogen—most commonly a virus—to determine if someone is currently infected.
Unlike PCR tests, which amplify genetic material, antigen tests look for viral proteins directly, yielding faster results but with somewhat lower sensitivity.
She took a rapid antigen test before visiting her grandmother.
The term became widely familiar during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- rapidMoving with haste
- swabAbsorbent cleaning implement
- nasal swabSampling tool for nostrils
- COVIDCoronavirus disease abbreviation
- positiveAffirming or certain
negative · nasal · result · diagnostic · screening · lateral flow · PCR · antibody · saliva · detection · kit · line · specimen · viral · infection · strip · sample · sensitivity
- pandemiclockdowns, COVID-19, outbreak, epidemic, COVID
- medical testsCT scan, X-ray, MRI, CBC, blood work
- screeningshealth screening, cancer screening, prenatal screening, newborn screening, background check
- blood testsCBC, complete blood count, blood work, CMP, hemoglobin
- diagnostic devicesstethoscope, blood glucose meter, EKG, ECG machine, EEG
- diagnostic testsurine culture, blood culture, diagnostic kit, bacterial culture, throat swab