Test To Confirm Shingles

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Test to confirm shingles. The centers for disease control and prevention cdc cannot attest to the accuracy of a non federal website. Shingles is usually diagnosed based on the history of pain on one side of your body along with the telltale rash and blisters. Doctors use two types of tests to diagnose chickenpox or shingles. Tests for chickenpox and shingles may be performed to detect and diagnose a current or past infection with vzv.

Your doctor may also take a tissue scraping or culture of the blisters for examination in the laboratory. If you have an atypical rash or there aren t any good swabs to use as a sample for pcr serological testing can be used in addition to a physical exam to diagnose shingles typically by looking for antibodies in your blood. Examining your skin asking about your symptoms asking questions about your medical history such as whether you ve had chickenpox if your immune system is weak your. Polymerase chain reaction pcr is the most useful test for confirming cases of suspected zoster sine herpete herpes zoster type pain that occurs without a rash.

Your healthcare provider will be able to tell if you have shingles by. Varicella zoster virus tests detect either antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a vzv infection or detect the virus itself. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the cdc website. Tests are rarely needed but may include taking a skin sample to see if the skin is infected with the virus that causes shingles.

Antibodies are proteins that your body makes due to infections and can be detected by laboratory tests. If elevated white blood cells are observed your doctor may test your blood for antibodies to the herpes zoster virus. When you re exposed to varicella zoster virus your body makes antibodies to defend itself. Varicella zoster virus tests detect either antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a vzv infection or detect the virus itself.

When you re exposed to varicella zoster your immune system makes proteins to fight it.