Shingles Virus - Tests and Diagnosis

Diagnosis:

It is not unusual to diagnose chickenpox by visual inspection alone. Moms did it all the time back in the good old days when this condition was common, but times have changed since then. With the advent of vaccinations chickenpox is not so common any more, and those who have not had it are susceptible to getting it if they come in contact with someone currently suffering from shingles.

Shingles and chickenpox often mimic other diseases, which can make it difficult for people today to discern what their ailment is. Conditions that can look like shingles include:

• Herpes simplex


• Impetigo - a contagious bacterial skin infection common in children


• Insect bites


• Scabies

Shingles can also masquerade as gallstones due to the pain that can sometimes occur unilaterally in the lower back, or one side of the chest or abdomen prior to the onset of the rash and painful blisters. Sometimes shingles is erroneously thought to be herpes simplex if the rash appears on the buttock or around the mouth. In atypical events, shingles can mistaken for Bells palsy (temporary paralysis on one side of the face) or Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which is characterized by rash, facial paralysis, blisters. So it is easy to mistake one for the other without diagnostic testing to determine the correct diagnosis.

Tests For Shingles:

Virus Culture: A specimen of the clear fluid oozing from the blister is taken, and often times a spinal tap is performed to extract spinal fluid from an area of the spine. The specimen is then sent to a lab where a culture in a petri dish is allowed to grow for a period of one and 14 days. It can also be used in people who have been vaccinated against the virus to see if the infection is caused by the virus or the vaccine. The drawback of this test is it is not easy to retrieve the virus from samples taken.

Immunofluorescence Assay: Is a diagnostic technique used to reveal antibodies to the virus. When testing for herpes zoster, a concoction made up of cells from the zoster blisters are exposed to ultraviolet rays, that when viewed through a microscope identifies the presence of the antibodies. This test is more cost effective than doing a culture. Additionally, this type of test has more accuracy and the results arrive in a more timely manner.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Utilizes a section of the DNA sequence of the virus. It is then duplicated millions of times until the virus is detected. This technique costs a lot more, but in unusual cases, such as diagnosing an infection of the central nervous system, this test is useful.

Many people experience very mild to moderate symptoms related to shingles, and treatment is not required. But if you begin to have pain and the discomfort increases, make a call or visit with your health care professional for treatment to reduce symptoms and to avoid complications.

by Barb Hicks RN/LMT