How is Chicken Pox Diagnosed?
Chicken pox is a very serious viral disease that results from the varicella zoster virus. The most common sign and indicator of chicken pox is the blistering rash all over one's body. The symptoms are more evident during the cold season, and young children are to be vaccinated against the disease. A child, once infected, should stay indoors till the disease subsides to avoid infecting other children. This infection is usually of minimal effect for those with a strong immunity, but is dangerous for adults.
Chicken pox doesn’t need any hospital check up to be diagnosed, since it is easily seen with its obvious symptoms. The spots of chicken pox can easily be differentiated from other diseases that damage the skin like any disease, like scabies, which is also a serious disease that affects the skin. An individual is requested to look at other conditions that affect the skin that may resemble chicken pox to avoid confusion with it.
One is advised to see the doctor if he or she is not sure if the infection is chicken pox. One should also see the doctor if he or she was close to someone who has been sick recently, since the disease can be harmful to one if it is left undetected. Lastly, one is told to see the doctor if she has the disease and is feeding a small child with milk, so they can be advised on whether breastfeeding is still advisable.
Laboratory testing may be involved in diagnosing the virus in case one is infected. Various specimens are used to find out if the varicella zoster virus is present. This test is mostly done to show that it is the infection that is resulting in deaths. In evaluating the presence of the disease, the ELIZA test is usually conducted to determine what infections the body is fighting. This test is done by taking blood samples. Despite this test being preferred, once one has been vaccinated, it becomes difficult to determine whether the disease has been eradicated completely. Sometimes glycoproteins are used in the lab to check for the infection in cases of vaccination.
1gG is used to find out whether a person who is infected with the virus is suffering from it for the first time or not. The test shows that those who have been sick before have antibodies that attach to antigens more so than a first-timer. People who have been vaccinated before should go to the hospital periodically to check if the vaccine is working or not. Laboratory confirmation can also be applied where a polymerase chain reaction test is done on the blisters on the skin to discover whether they are chicken pox or not. It can also be used in checking for negative effects after the vaccination has been carried out.
The olymerase chain reaction is the most appropriate method used in checking for lesions. When these lesions are collected and observed in the lab, results could show that the infection occurred after a vaccination or before. 1gM can also be used for the ELIZA test to find out if the skin blisters are the result of a first-time infection. This test is readily available and is carried in many labs in detecting the virus. 1gG is discouraged since the outcome doesn’t show a history of the infection.
