SEROLOGIC PROCEDURES

(Antigen/antibody detection)
• ‘Serology’ is the study of serum and can be used to
detect both antibody and antigen.

• As many of the viruses cannot be cultured, it widely used

in diagnostic virology to diagnose viral infections.

• Fundamental principles are similar for all.

 SEROLOGIC PROCEDURES

• A rise in the Ab titer to can be used to diagnose current infection.

• Seroconversion is the term used to describe the detection of

antibody in a patient’s serum when the patient previously had no
antibody. Stated another way, the patient’s serum has converted
from antibody-negative to antibody-positive.
• Serum (1st sample) is obtained as soon as a viral
etiology is suspected (acute-phase) & a 2nd sample
is obtained 10-14 days later (convalescent-phase).

• If the Ab titer in convalescent-phase is at least four-

fold higher than the titer in the acute-phase, the
patient is considered to be infected.
• For example, if the titer in the acute-phase is 1/4 and
the titer in the convalescent-phase is 1/16 or greater,
the patient has had a significant rise in antibody titer and
has been recently infected.

• If, however, the titer in the convalescent-phase is 1/8,

this is not a significant rise and should not be interpreted
as a sign of recent infection.
• It is important to realize that an antibody titer on a
single sample does not distinguish between a
previous infection and a current infection.

• These serologic diagnoses are usually made

retrospectively because the disease has frequently
run its course by the time the results are obtained.
 Current Infection
• In certain viral diseases, the presence of IgM
antibody is used to diagnose current infection.

• For example, the presence of IgM antibody to core

antigen indicates infection by hepatitis B virus.