If elevated white blood cells are observed your doctor may test your blood for antibodies to the herpes zoster virus.
Test to confirm 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.
Tests are rarely needed but may include taking a skin sample to see if the skin is infected with the virus that causes shingles.
When you re exposed to varicella zoster virus your body makes antibodies to defend itself.
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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.
Varicella zoster virus tests detect either antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a vzv infection or detect the virus itself.
Your healthcare provider will be able to tell if you have shingles by.
When you re exposed to varicella zoster your immune system makes proteins to fight it.
Pcr can be used to detect vzv dna rapidly and sensitively and is now widely available.
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.
Tests for chickenpox and shingles may be performed to detect and diagnose a current or past infection with vzv.
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.
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Varicella zoster virus tests detect either antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a vzv infection or detect the virus itself.
Doctors use two types of tests to diagnose chickenpox or shingles.
The centers for disease control and prevention cdc cannot attest to the accuracy of a non federal website.