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RSV antibody test
Respiratory syncytial virus antibody test; RSV serology
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antibody test is a blood test that measures the levels of antibodies (immunoglobulins) the body makes after an infection with RSV.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a very common virus that leads to mild, cold-like symptoms in adults and older healthy children. It can be more...
How the Test is Performed
A blood sample is needed.
Blood sample
Venipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.
How to Prepare for the Test
No special preparation is needed.
How the Test will Feel
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away.
Why the Test is Performed
This test is done to identify someone who has been infected by RSV recently or in the past.
This test does not detect the virus itself. If the body has produced antibodies against RSV, then either a current or past infection has occurred.
Antibodies
An antibody is a protein produced by the body's immune system when it detects harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include micr...
In infants, RSV antibodies that have been passed from mother to baby may also be detected.
Normal Results
A negative test means the person does not have antibodies to RSV in their blood. This means the person has never had an RSV infection.
What Abnormal Results Mean
A positive test means the person has antibodies to RSV in their blood. These antibodies may be present because:
- A positive test in people older than infants means there is a current or past infection with RSV. Most adults and older children have had an RSV infection.
- Infants may have a positive test because antibodies were passed from their mother to them before they were born. This may mean they have not had a true RSV infection.
- Some children younger than 24 months get a shot with antibodies to RSV to protect them. These children will also have a positive test.
Risks
There is very little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Fainting or feeling light-headed
- Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
- Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
References
Meissner HC, Hall CB. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Cherry JD, Harrison GJ, Kaplan SL, Steinbach WJ, Hotez PJ. eds. Feigin and Cherry's Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 181.
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Blood test - illustration
Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.
Blood test
illustration
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Blood test - illustration
Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.
Blood test
illustration
Review Date: 2/2/2015
Reviewed By: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron Jr. Associate Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
