Test To Confirm Shingles

Your doctor may also take a tissue scraping or culture of the blisters for examination in the laboratory.

Test to confirm shingles.

Antibodies are proteins that your body makes due to infections and can be detected by laboratory tests. When you re exposed to varicella zoster virus your body makes antibodies to defend itself. Tests for chickenpox and shingles may be performed to detect and diagnose a current or past infection with vzv. Linking to a non federal website does not constitute an endorsement by cdc or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

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. Varicella zoster virus tests detect either antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a vzv infection or detect the virus itself. Pcr can be used to detect vzv dna rapidly and sensitively and is now widely available. 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.

The centers for disease control and prevention cdc cannot attest to the accuracy of a non federal website. Blood tests may show an increase in white blood cells and antibodies to the chickenpox virus but they cannot confirm that the rash is due to shingles. Tests are rarely needed but may include taking a skin sample to see if the skin is infected with the virus that causes shingles. 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. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the cdc website. Tests for chickenpox and shingles may be performed to detect and diagnose a current or past infection with vzv. Your healthcare provider will be able to tell if you have shingles by.

If elevated white blood cells are observed your doctor may test your blood for antibodies to the herpes zoster virus.