Eurofins Biomnis code

VARZG

Synonyms

• Herpes zoster - immunity test - IgG antibodies
• VZV - immunity test - IgG antibody

Clinic significance

A virus which causes a highly contagious but usually benign disease of children which is characterized by vesicular skin lesions (chicken pox). Following primary infection, the virus remains latent in the body and can reactivate to cause herpes zoster, a syndrome of severe neuralgic pain in the intercostal or ophthalmic region or on the face. Herpes zoster can lead to serious neurological complications (facial paralysis, sudden deafness, meningitis and polyneuritis). Infections are more symptomatic in adults and, in immunodeficient subjects (e.g. those with serious blood disorders or AIDS), the virus can disseminate and cause a potentially fatal hemorrhagic syndrome with diffuse intravascular coagulation, nodular pneumonia and meningoencephalitis. Primary infections with the varicella-zoster virus (i.e. chicken pox) in pregnant women should be closely monitored - infection of the embryo is actually rare but if it occurs it can result in scarring, atrophy of the limbs and sometimes under-development of the cortex. In utero infection later on in the term can lead to neonatal herpes zoster which is comparable to the disease seen in immunodeficient patients. In contrast, the occurrence of herpes zoster in a pregnant woman does not pose any risk to the baby. Direct diagnosis can be made if viral antigens are detected on smears prepared from material harvested from cutaneous or ocular lesions. Methods based on detecting viral DNA are very useful for specimens like amniotic fluid, BAL material, CSF or, in the case of immunodeficient patients, blood. Serological diagnosis of primary infection depends on demonstrating seroconversion with the presence of specific IgM antibodies. Reactivation (i.e. herpes zoster) can be associated with changes in the antibody profile, including the transient reappearance of IgM. The presence of only IgG is definitive evidence of long-standing infection.

Prenalytics

• 1 mL
• Serum
• Refrigerated

Further information

• On specific request
• Storage temperature (2-8°C) < 7 days during transport of specimen.

Methodology

Chemiluminescence

Turnaround time

3 days