How can clinical immunology laboratories contribute to the management of severe COVID-19 cases in limited resource contexts ?

Since its appearance, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that is caused by severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been responsible for severe respiratory disease similar to diseases commonly associated with the coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome; COVID-19 frequently requires hospitalisation in the intensive care unit and has had a high mortality rate.1 The severity of COVID-19 is generally stratified as asymptomatic, mild (without signs of severe or critical illness), severe (with signs of breathing difficulties) or critical (with signs of respiratory failure, shock and multiple organ failure).2 The contribution of the medical laboratory to the categorisation of COVID-19 clinical forms is not yet well defined.3 After confirmation of infection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, biochemical and haematological analyses provide fundamental biological parameters for determining disease severity. Similarly, the clinical immunology laboratory could play an important role in elucidating diverse immunological abnormalities associated with the disease. In particular, immunological testing could better categorise the severe and critical forms of COVID-19, and subsequently assist treating physicians during the entire course of therapy. The purpose of this opinion article is to highlight the position of the immunology laboratory in the management of severe and critical COVID-19 cases, specifically in countries with limited resources. ..