Shingles, otherwise known as herpes zoster can cause painful rashes to your body; in fact shingles can cause trouble to any part of the body. The primary cause of shingles is the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus which also causes chickenpox. In appearance, shingles look like a stripe of blisters that wraps around either side of the torso. After chickenpox disease, the virus does not perish and rather they remain inactive in the nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. There is a likelihood that the virus may get activated again as shingles. If some rash develops in your body, the doctor makes an accurate clinical diagnosis by examining the signs and symptoms of shingles. But when there is no rash in the body, it is difficult to diagnose a condition as shingles. Rather it gets confused with some other conditions. Therefore, the doctors suggest to undergo some diagnostic laboratories near me in such cases to confirm the presence of shingles. Many pathology lab in South Delhi are fully equipped to carry out the following tests which can detect shingles.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

This important test is done to confirm the cases of zoster sine herpete, a pain like herpes zoster. Known as PCR test, this test successfully detects VZV DNA and that too rapidly in a sensitive manner. In the acute stage of the disease, viral detection is possible to detect by examining the viral DNA in your saliva. A biopsy sample come in handful for cases that pertain to disseminated disease.

Antibody

It is a given that the protein in your body is made by the immune system to fight against varicella-zoster virus when you are exposed to it. By examining a sample of your blood, the pathologist in pathology lab in South Delhi can find these proteins which are also known as antibodies. To get the test one, a small amount of blood is drawn by the pathologists for further examination.

Viral detection

To check for any viral detection and presence of the varicella-zoster virus, a test is carried out wherein the  collection of samples can be done from the blisters on your skin. You will get the result from a pathology lab in South Delhi within a few days. Based on the existing symptoms and subsequent test results, the doctors can tell whether you have shingles.

Other tests

Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) and tzanck smear is not recommended due to limited sensitivity. While the turnaround time in these methods are rather rapid but they are substantially less sensitive when compared to PCR, DFA. For VZV, tzanck is not specific. On the other hand, there is limited use of serologic methods which confirm the laboratory confirmation of herpes zoster. These tests are usually conducted only when there is the absence of suitable specimens for PCR testing. If need arises, the lab doctors at pathology lab in South Delhi  could administer VZV IgG avidity testing so they can distinguish a primary infection from reactivation or re-infection.