This ELISA is a quantitative enzyme immunoassay for the determination of the titer of human antibody (specifically for IgG subtype) against Varicella-Zoster Virus in human specimen. Specifically, this test is useful in screening patient serum or plasma samples with relatively high titer of human anti-VZV-IgG antibody.

Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) is one of eight herpes viruses known to infect humans and is the etiologic agent of chicken-pox (Varicella) in children and both shingles (Zoster) and post therapeutic neuralgia in adults. Primary VZV infection results in chicken-pox, which may rarely result in complications including encephalitis or pneumonia. Even when clinical symptoms of chicken-pox have resolved, VZV remains dormant in the nervous system of the infected person, in the trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia. In about 10 – 20% of cases, VZV reactivates later in life result in shingles. Serious complications of shingles include postherpetic neuragia, zoster multiplex, myelitis, herpes ophthalmicus, or zoster sine herpete. Singles is more common in people with weakened immune systems from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations and stress. In some of the above condition, the infection of VZV may cause severe or fatal disease in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy or being abnormalities in cell mediated immune response.   The presence of serum antibody to VZV has been shown to correlate with immunity to varicella. Determination of immune status to varicella is important for hospital personnel in contact with immunocompromised patients. An attenuated live VZV vaccine has been licensed in North America for individuals of non-immunocompromised disease. It is also necessity to determine the immune status of patients and evaluate their eligibility prior to administering the vaccine.

This EDI™ VZV-IgG ELISA kit is designed, developed and produced for the quantitative determination of relatively high titer of human anti-VZV-IgG. The antibody titer of this test are reported as kilo unit per milliliter (KU/mL).

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.