An antigen test is a diagnostic method that detects the presence of specific antigens, molecular structures such as proteins produced by or belonging to a pathogen, in a clinical specimen, thereby providing direct evidence of current infection. In the case of viral diseases including COVID-19, antigen tests typicall…
An antigen test is a diagnostic method that detects the presence of specific antigens, molecular structures such as proteins produced by or belonging to a pathogen, in a clinical specimen, thereby providing direct evidence of current infection. In the case of viral diseases including COVID-19, antigen tests typically identify viral proteins in samples from the respiratory tract, and many are configured as rapid lateral-flow assays that yield results quickly at the point of care without specialised laboratory equipment. The underlying principle relies on the specific binding of antibodies to their target antigen, the same immunochemical basis used in enzyme immunoassays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the detection of antigens or the antibodies raised against them. Antigen tests are generally most sensitive during the early, acute phase of infection when antigen levels are high, and they trade some analytical sensitivity for speed and convenience compared with nucleic-acid amplification methods; residual specimen from a rapid antigen device can in some workflows be used for subsequent molecular characterisation. Their performance depends on factors such as specimen quality, timing relative to infection, and pathogen load, and results are interpreted alongside clinical context. Antigen testing is applied in the diagnosis, screening, and surveillance of infectious diseases more broadly, including bacterial and fungal infections detected through antigen assays, and forms part of the wider diagnostic toolkit alongside molecular and antibody-based methods.
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