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  3. Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) antibody test

What is Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test? 

A varicella-zoster (chickenpox) antibody test is employed to check if you have antibodies against varicella-zoster virus - the causative agent of chickenpox in your blood.

Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection that can be contracted from direct contact with the patient or through sneezing or coughing. The disease manifests in the form of blister-like rashes within two days of coming in contact with the virus.

The first antibodies - IgM, show up in the blood, one to two week after the symptoms manifest. Another type of antibody - IgG - shows up after a few weeks and acts as a shield against the varicella virus for a long period of time. 

The relapse of the infection is highly unlikely since our body develops immunity to the virus and can fight against it when it is exposed again. A child whose mother had a chickenpox infection in the past or who was already vaccinated is less likely to contract an infection before he turns one year old. Even if he/she gets the infection, then the antibodies produced by the mother’s blood will help in protecting them. A varicella vaccine is given to children between the age of 12 and 15 months.

The varicella-zoster antibody test detects the presence of a recent infection. This test can also be performed to ascertain whether a person is immune to the virus from prior infection or by vaccination.

  1. Why is Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test performed?
  2. How do you prepare for Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test?
  3. How is Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test performed?
  4. What do Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test results mean?

Why is Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test performed?

Your doctor may order this test if he/she suspects that you have chickenpox.

The following are the symptoms of chickenpox:

  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Stomach ache 
  • Headache
  • Decrease in appetite 
  • Fatigue and a feeling of being unwell
  • Rashes that may occur in three phases:
    • Pink raised bump 
    • Small fluid-filled blisters 
    • Broken blisters with the cover of crusts

The rashes may occur after 10–21 days of exposure and may last for 1-2 weeks.

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How do you prepare for Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test?

No special preparation is needed before this test. Inform your doctor if you are taking any prescribed, non-prescribed, medications or any vitamins and supplements. Most importantly, your doctor should know if you were diagnosed with chickenpox or were administered varicella vaccination in the past.

How is Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test performed?

Your healthcare practitioner may order a blood sample for this test. He/she will use a sterile needle to collect the sample from a vein in your arm.

You may experience slight pain as the needle goes in. Also, this test has some risk of bleeding, and light-headedness. However, most of these symptoms subside on their own. 

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What do Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) Antibody test results mean?

Normal results:

For both IgM and IgG antibodies, a normal result is usually reported negative. This indicates that the person has never been exposed to the varicella virus and is hence not immune against it. However, a negative result does not always rule out the possibility of an infection. A false-negative result may be reported if the sample is taken before enough antibodies show up in the blood.

Abnormal results:

An abnormal result is reported positive for the presence of IgG and positive or negative for the presence of IgM. 

A recent infection is indicated when the result is positive for the presence of both IgG and IgM.

A positive IgG and negative IgM result indicate previous immunity or vaccination against the infection.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.

References

  1. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; Varicella-Zoster Virus Antibody
  2. La Russa PS, Marin M. Varicella-zoster virus. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 253.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [internet]. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services; Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  4. Robinson CL, Romero JR, Kempe A, Pellegrini C; Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Child/Adolescent Immunization Work Group. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger - United States, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(5):134–135. Published 2017 Feb 10. PMID: 28182607.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [internet]. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services; Chickenpox (Varicella)
  6. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [Internet]. US National Library of Medicine. Bethesda. Maryland. USA; Chickenpox
  7. ARUP Labs [Internet]. University of Utah. Salt Lake city. Utah. US; Varicella-Zoster Virus - VZV
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [internet]. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services; Chickenpox Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know
  9. Longo DL, et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2018.
  10. National Health Service [internet]. UK; Blood Tests
  11. Stone K, Tackley E, Weir S. BET 2: NSAIs and chickenpox. Emerg Med J. 2018;35(1):66–68. PMID: 29247138.
  12. Cvjetković D, Jovanović J, Hrnjaković-Cvjetković I, Brkić S, Bogdanović M. Reaktivacija herpes zoster infekcije varicela-zoster virusom [Reactivation of herpes zoster infection by varicella-zoster virus]. Med Pregl. 1999;52(3-5):125–128. PMID: 10518396.
  13. Gnann JW Jr, Whitley RJ. Clinical practice. Herpes zoster. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(5):340–346. PMID: 12151472.
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