Chickenpox is basically a disease of children, after it appears immunity to the virus that causes it. However, there are situations when a primary infection or viral reactivation occurs in a human adult. In this case, an analysis of antibodies to chickenpox may be required both for prophylactic and diagnostic purposes.
Indications for analysis with this pathology
Chicken pox has a typical pattern, the first signs of the disease - vesicular skin rashes - leave no doubt. In some cases, confirmation is required. To find out the exact result, a blood test for antibodies to chickenpox, which is prescribed in such situations, helps:
- The presence in children of atypical signs of the disease (unusual appearance, too high a temperature, atypical type of rash and other symptoms). To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor in this situation advises to take an analysis for chickenpox.
- Reactivation of the virus or primary infection in adulthood. Moreover, the clinical picture differs from chickenpox in children, and the disease manifests itself in the form of shingles. Thanks to the test for antibodies to chickenpox virus , the origin of the symptoms can be established.
- Prevention during pregnancy planning. For pregnant women, chickenpox infection is very dangerous: a disease suffered by a patient in the first trimester can cause congenital malformations in the baby. A blood test of parents in this case shows whether or not there is 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 his childhood, and does not know whether he is afraid of infection, the analysis of antibodies to chickenpox will dispel all doubts.
Disease contagious period
You can determine the infectious period approximately. For others, the patient is directly dangerous. Once in its body, the virus penetrates the cells of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, undergoes adaptation there and actively multiplies. For all, the incubation period has a different duration. In children from three to six years old - from 10 to 14 days, after 13 years and adults three weeks can pass from the moment the virus enters the body and the onset of the first symptoms. The patient is considered contagious to others two days after the end of the incubation period.
Determination of immunoglobulins in chickenpox
The analysis of antibodies to chickenpox is carried out by determining the immunoglobulins of class M and G in the blood. The presence of the first indicates a recent illness (within a year before the procedure), or current infection (four or more days have passed after infection). The second indicates immunity to the chickenpox pathogen, are there antibodies to chickenpox.
In the first case, the analysis of urine will be unchanged, only in severe cases, the level of protein and red blood cells may slightly increase. A general blood test is also not informative, since it does not determine immunoglobulins. With this disease, KLA indicators will be indicative - an increase in ESR and other changes that indicate intoxication of the body as a whole.
Methods for diagnosing this pathology
Antibodies to chickenpox IgG are detected in the following ways:
- ELISA - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 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 that has been transmitted over the past year, and the complete absence of any connections with the virus in life.
- RIF - immunofluorescence reaction - the study of blood serum for antibodies by binding them to an antigen that is labeled with fluorochrome. The desired complexes during the reaction can be found under the microscope by a special glow in the ultraviolet rays.
- Polymerase chain reaction. Determines the pathogen, even if the amount is small. Advantage: affordable cost. The study 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 analysis of antibodies to chickenpox is taken from a vein. Various factors may affect the validity of the study. To ensure the most accurate result, you need to refrain from fried, fatty and spicy foods eight hours before the procedure.
Ideally, it is advisable to refuse food and drink water at this time.
If any medications are taken, they must be temporarily withdrawn, and if this is not possible, inform the doctor. Heavy physical exertion prior to analysis is also not recommended.
Antibodies to chickenpox - a transcript of the results
Depending on the type of diagnostic procedure, among the results of the analysis, you can find out if there are or are no immunoglobulins G and M, varicella-Zoster virus cells or herpes simplex virus. The following result values can be:
- The presence of immunoglobulins G means that a person has long had chickenpox, he has a strong immunity to the virus. During pregnancy and its planning, it is possible to conduct an IgG analysis again after 7-10 days. With the reactivation or reinfection of the virus in the absence of IgM, the degree of IgG during this period will increase several times and give the 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 M are in the blood on the fourth day after contact with the virus, after recovery they gradually contract and then completely disappear. This process can last up to a year.
- The presence of the Varicella-Zoster virus indicates an acute form of shingles or chicken pox. After recovery, this virus does not leave the body; it will be in the nerve ganglia. It can be found in the blood only in acute form, that is, with reactivation of the infection or recent infection.
Thanks to the timely diagnosis of chickenpox, a treatment strategy can be developed, especially with a severe nature of the disease. It is especially useful to give antibodies to chickenpox during pregnancy planning to assess infection, as well as to protect the unborn child and mother from infections and possible complications.
Is a general blood test specific: its results
A blood test can be taken only during the acute nature of the infection, when the patient already feels unwell, but there is no rash on the body. The study of biomaterial allows you to determine a decrease in the content of white blood cells, as well as a relative increase in the number of lymphocytes. This picture is typical of intoxication, due to the course of infection.
Treatment of this pathology
As a rule, 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 for delayed treatment. The rash needs to be constantly treated with an antiseptic, for this purpose the usual "green stuff" is most often used, 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 exists is to strengthen its own immune system so that it can respond to the introduction of infection into the body. That is why immunostimulant drugs are prescribed.