Chickenpox is mainly a disease of children, after it there is immunity to the virus that causes it. However, there are situations when primary infection or viral reactivation occurs in an adult person. In this case, an analysis for antibodies to chickenpox may be required for both preventive and diagnostic purposes.
Indications for analysis in this pathology
Chickenpox has a typical picture, the first signs of the disease - vesicular skin rashes - leave no doubt. In some cases confirmation is required. A blood test for antibodies to chickenpox, which is prescribed in such situations, helps to find out the exact result:
- Presence in children of atypical signs of the disease (unusual appearance, too much temperature, atypical rash and other symptoms). To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor in such a situation advises to be tested for chickenpox.
- Virus reactivation or primary infection in an adultage. At the same time, the clinical picture differs from chickenpox in children, and the disease manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster. The varicella zoster virus antibody test can help determine the origin of symptoms.
- Prevention during pregnancy planning. For pregnant women, chickenpox infection is very dangerous: the disease suffered by the patient in the first trimester can cause congenital deformities in the baby. A blood test of the parents in this case shows whether there is or is no immunity to chickenpox, based on the result, further tactics of behavior will be developed.
Establishment of immunity. In this case, the patient does not remember whether he had chickenpox in childhood, and does not know whether he is afraid of infection, an analysis for antibodies to chickenpox will dispel all doubts.
The period of contagiousness of the disease
It is possible to determine the period of contagiousness approximately. For others, the patient is directly dangerous. Once in his body, the virus penetrates the cells of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, undergoes adaptation there and actively multiplies. Everyone has a different incubation period. In children from three to six years - from 10 to 14 days, after 13 years and adults, it can take three weeks from the moment the virus enters the body and the first symptoms appear. The patient is considered contagious to others two days after the end of the incubation period.
Determination of immunoglobulins in chickenpox
Testing for antibodies to chickenpoxcarried out using the determination of class M and G immunoglobulins in the blood. The presence of the first indicates a recent illness (within a year before the procedure), or a current infection (four or more days have passed since infection). The second indicates immunity to the causative agent of chickenpox, whether there are antibodies to chickenpox.
In the first case, the urinalysis will be unchanged, only in severe cases, the level of protein and erythrocytes may slightly increase. A general blood test is also not informative, since it does not determine immunoglobulins. With this disease, the indicators of the KLA will be indicative - an increase in ESR and other changes that indicate intoxication of the body as a whole.
Methods for diagnosing this pathology
Chickenpox IgG antibodies are detected in the following ways:
- ELISA - enzyme immunoassay, based on the reaction of blood serum to antigens. It makes it possible to determine the most accurate picture: primary infection, stable immunity to chickenpox, a disease suffered over the past year, a complete absence of ties with the virus in life.
- RIF - immunofluorescence reaction - a study of blood serum for antibodies by binding them to an antigen that is labeled with a fluorochrome. The desired complexes during the reaction can be found under a microscope by a special glow in ultraviolet rays.
- Polymerase chain reaction. Identifies the pathogen, even if the number is small. Pros: Affordable cost. Research is done on almost any material -amniotic fluid, blood, etc. Disadvantages: will not show the presence of immunity and the stage of the disease.
Rules for preparing for this analysis
Blood for testing for antibodies to chickenpox is taken from a vein. Various factors can affect the validity of a study. To ensure the most accurate result, you should refrain from fried, fatty and spicy foods eight hours before the procedure.
Ideally, it is advisable to give up food and drink water for this time.
If any medicines are taken, they should be temporarily discontinued, and if this is not possible, tell the doctor. Heavy physical activity before analysis is also not recommended.
Antibodies to chickenpox - transcript of results
Depending on the type of diagnostic procedure, the results of the analysis can determine whether or not there are immunoglobulins G and M, Varicella-Zoster viral cells or herpes simplex virus. The result values can be:
- The presence of immunoglobulins G means that a person has had chickenpox for a long time, he has strong immunity to the virus. During pregnancy and its planning, you can test for IgG again after 7-10 days. In case of reactivation or reinfection of the virus in the absence of IgM, the degree of IgG over this period will increase several times and give a correct diagnostic picture.
- The presence of IgM and the absence of IgG indicate a recent infection, together with IgG, a recent pathology. Antibodies to chickenpox Mare present in the blood on the fourth day after contact with the virus, after recovery they gradually decrease and then completely disappear. This process can take up to a year.
- The presence of the Varicella-Zoster virus indicates an acute form of shingles or chicken pox. This virus does not leave the body after recovery, it will be in the nerve ganglia. It can only be detected in the blood in an acute form, that is, with a reactivation of an infection or a recent infection.
Due to the timely diagnosis of chickenpox, it is possible to develop a treatment strategy, especially when the disease is severe. Testing for chickenpox antibodies is especially useful during pregnancy planning to assess infection, as well as to protect the unborn child and mother from infections and possible complications.
Is a complete blood count specific: its results
A blood test can only be taken during the acute nature of the infection, when the patient already feels unwell, but there is no rash on the body. The study of the biomaterial allows you to determine the decrease in the content of leukocytes, as well as the relative increase in the number of lymphocytes. This picture is typical of intoxication due to the course of the infection.
Treatment of this pathology
As a rule, the treatment of chickenpox is symptomatic - if necessary, antipruritic and antipyretic drugs are prescribed. If the disease is severe, Acyclovir is prescribed, but it is not effective with delayed treatment. Rashyou need to constantly treat with an antiseptic, for this purpose they most often use the usual "brilliant green", but its use is not aesthetically pleasing.
Unfortunately, there are no drugs that would purposefully eliminate the chickenpox virus. The only way to alleviate the disease now is to strengthen your own immune system so that it can respond to the introduction of an infection into the body. That is why immunostimulant drugs are prescribed.
