Varicella zoster IgM

General information:

Serological diagnosis for Ig G antibodies in cases when a patient wants to know if he passed the infection in childhood, pregnant women in contact with a child sick with chicken pox, in patients with suspected herpes zoster. Serological diagnosis for antibodies to Varicella zoster virus. It is the high titers of VZV Ig M that confirm the diagnosis, along with the clinical symptoms. The varicella virus is the cause of two different diseases. The first is varicella (chickenpox, varicella - an acute viral highly contagious disease, occurring with a characteristic itchy vesicular rash) mainly in childhood. It is due to the first meeting of the body with the virus and the failing immune defense in children. The disease is relatively mild, except for children under 1 year old and adults over 20 years old. Attention should be paid to pregnant women (sick) in the first trimester that the virus may be the cause of an abortion for medical reasons! The second disease caused by the virus is called herpes zoster (Herpes-Zoster, Shingles). It develops locally (along the course of skin dermatomes, facial nerve) as a result of reactivation of the virus as a result of stress, other diseases. In a clinical aspect, severe pain and frequent post-zoster complications such as neuralgia, paralysis (often in n.facialis), vision and hearing impairment are important. The reason is that the virus destroys the nerves during its transport. Herpes zoster during pregnancy is not an indication for abortion. Urgent treatment is required. There is a vaccine in many countries applicable in childhood (not in Bulgaria) and to patients over 60.

Sample required:

Venous blood

Key words:

varicella zoster IgM