Role of Nasopharyngeal lactate dehydrogenase as a possible economical mass screening test for the detection and segregation of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) cases in India

COVID-19 pandemic is affecting almost every country in the world. Every country must test all the individuals with suspected clinical presentation of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the symptoms are mild and often the incubation period is 5–7 days. Hence, the detection of COVID-19 takes time and is costly even, many resource-constrained nations are not testing their citizens due to cost incurred. That is why we need an economical mass screening test to detect and help the health-care system to segregate cases needing their attention. Nasopharyngeal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is raised in viral upper respiratory infections, it can be easily tested and raised serum LDH in addition to nasopharyngeal LDH can predict stormy outcome of disease. Such prediction will help health-care system for effective resource allocation.