TB And Titers

The  hepatitis  B  surface  antibody  is  the  antibody  that  is  produced  in  response  to  hepatitis  B  surface  antigen,  a  protein  present  on  the  surface  of  the  hepatitis  B  virus.  This  appears  after  convalescence  from  acute  infection  and  lasts  for  many  years.

Measles, also called Rubeola, is a highly contagious virus that can be very serious if contracted by children. The infection causes a fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and a rash that begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. In very young children, measles can lead to pneumonia as the virus spreads to the lungs. In older children the virus could lead to pneumonia, croup, diarrhea or swelling of the brain (encephalitis) which could cause seizures and brain damage.
A measles infection in pregnant women can be very serious for the unborn child. The virus can be passed from the mother to the baby and could cause premature birth or spontaneous abortions. While this is rare, due to the increase in early childhood vaccination, it is important to know whether you are immune to the virus before becoming pregnant.

MMR stands for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (German Measles). The MMR Titer is a blood test that checks if you are immune to Measles, Mumps and Rubella. It measures your antibody levels to get a sense for whether your immune system has the capability to respond to an infection with one of these diseases.

Mumps  is an  acute  illness  characterized  by  the  infection  of  salivary  glands. It usually leads  to  high  fever  and  fatigue.

QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus is a blood test used to aid in diagnosing both latent and active tuberculosis which is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The Rabies Titer Test or RFFIT is used to monitor rabies antibody levels in someone who may have an occupational risk of rabies, such as veterinarians or rabies lab workers, or someone who has been exposed to rabies and needs to be monitored to ensure that the vaccination is effective.  Usually, testing is not necessary if the standard protocol is followed for the rabies vaccination after an animal bite.

The Rabies Antibody Titer is an estimation of a person’s immune response against the rabies virus.    Survival after exposure to and infection with the rabies virus is more likely to occur the higher the titer level at the time of infection.

Rubella,  also  known  as  German  Measles,  is an  acute  viral  infection  of  children  and  adults.  Rubella  can  cause  rash,  fever  and  lymphadenopathy.  While  many  infections  are  subclinical,  this  virus  has  the  potential  to  cause  fetal  infection  with  resultant  birth  defects.

People with sickle cell disease (or anemia) have an abnormal form of blood cell (Hemoglobin S) which causes the red blood cells to be curved into crescent or “sickle” shape and not the normal, round shape.  Round blood cells pass through blood vessels easily, carrying oxygen throughout your body.  Sickle shaped blood cells can get stuck, block blood vessels and prevent oxygen from getting through.  Symptoms of sickle cell disease are very painful and can cause long term damage to organs, muscles and bones.  Painful episodes due to blocked blood vessels can cause pain in the hands, feet, belly, back or chest.  Sickle cell disease may also cause numerous infections and anemia leading to weakness and fatigue.

Student titer II panel (previously the Allied Health Panel) is needed for healthcare students, school faculty, healthcare and veterinary professionals, medical sales and medical device representatives to have confirmation of immunization through titer testing. The antibody test is an analysis that detects the presence and measures the amount of antibodies in a person’s blood.

Tuberculosis is considered one of the world’s leading infectious-disease killers, and can be highly infectious and very easily spread.  A simple test can be used that uses the body’s natural reaction against a foreign substance to measure or look for the possibility of a current infection with tuberculosis.

TB skin tests must be placed with careful consideration of the required 48-72 hour reading period. To ensure accurate and timely interpretation of results, placement should occur only when the individual will be available to return within this window. Tests placed without accounting for the reading timeframe may result in invalid or inconclusive results and require repeat testing.

The Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) Titer is a blood test that checks if you are immune to Varicella Zoster Virus, also known as Chickenpox and Shingles. It measures your antibody levels to get a sense for whether your immune system has the capability to respond to an infection with one of these diseases. Some people have had the chickenpox and developed immunity to varicella that way. Other people have developed immunity through receiving the Varicella vaccine series when they are young and/or receive vaccine boosters as adults.

As a consequence of either vaccination or prior exposure, people develop IgG antibodies to Varicella that provide immunity if they are exposed to the disease.