新冠肺炎“假阴性”病例频出，会导致漏诊吗？

近期，多地在新冠肺炎确诊过程中出现“假阴性”情况，即患者是新型冠状病毒感染者，但是核酸检测报告阴性，给疫情防控带来不小挑战。

Reports that nucleic acid tests have returned false-negative results for people infected with the novel coronavirus have prompted medical workers to deploy multiple measures to identify infections and implement rigorous isolation measures amid the viral epidemic.
一些新型冠状病毒感染者的核酸检测结果出现“假阴性”，这类报告促使医护人员采取多重措施确诊感染者，并采取更加严格的隔离措施来防控疫情。

据《新京报》报道，一位武汉来京的发热肺炎患者2月5日在中日医院呼吸四部确诊为新型冠状病毒感染肺炎。

An infected patient in Beijing tested negative three times for the virus through routine throat swab nucleic acid tests. The case was eventually confirmed by extracting samples from the lower respiratory tract — a more intrusive procedure.
此例患者入院前三次咽拭子新冠病毒核酸检测均为阴性，入院后从下呼吸道提取样本检测才发现新冠病毒核酸阳性。

公开资料显示，除中日医院这名“假阴性”患者外，浙江、宁夏、福建、天津已出现多例核酸检测“假阴性”病例。

针对这一情况，2月9日，国务院联防联控机制新闻发布会称，任何病毒的核酸检测结果都不可能是100%阳性，对新冠病毒的核酸检测也不例外，“假阴性”在所难免。

Gao Zhancheng, head of the respiratory and critical care department at Peking University's People's Hospital, said a range of factors will impact the accuracy of nucleic acid testing, including the severity of symptoms, the illness' development, the extraction method and the circumstances at laboratories.
北京大学人民医院呼吸与危重症医学科主任高占成说，核酸检测结果也受患者病情轻重、疾病不同阶段、取样方式方法、实验室检测条件影响。

"Nucleic acid testing targeting other viruses also cannot ensure full accuracy. However, such testing remains an irreplaceable way to confirm infection," he told a news conference held by the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism on Sunday.
“任何病毒的核酸检测结果都不可能是100%阳性，但对于确诊新冠肺炎，核酸检测是不可或缺的手段。”高占成在9日的国务院联防联控机制新闻发布会上说。

"Under the current treatment guideline, suspected cases who have tested negative for the virus once are also required to be quarantined at designated facilities for strict observation."
“初次检测阴性的疑似患者，按照现行国家卫健委诊疗方案要求，还需在定点医院隔离观察。”

对于假阴性是否会导致漏诊的问题，专家们表示，不必过分担心，病例的确诊和排除，除了核酸检测，还将结合流行病学史（ epidemiological records）、临床症状（clinical symptoms）、CT影像（ CT scan imaging）等判断。

【相关词汇】

新型冠状病毒肺炎，简称新冠肺炎
novel coronavirus pneumonia, NCP

核酸检测
nucleic /njuː'kliːɪk/ acid test

下呼吸道
lower respiratory tract

疑似病例
suspected cases

定点医院
designated hospital