Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) DNA, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR

Whole Blood DNA

Reference range:

This test is intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of infections caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV).

The Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) DNA PCR test detects the varicella-zoster virus in whole blood or lesions that cause infections such as chickenpox and shingles.

The initial infection of VZV may result in chickenpox. Although most people who have had chickenpox will be immune to the disease for the remainder of their lives, the VZV virus remains inactive in the nerve tissue and may reactivate later in life, causing shingles. In contrast, you can be infected with shingles more than once, though it is rare.

What are symptoms of Chickenpox and Shingles?

Chickenpox and shingles both cause blister-like skin rashes. In addition, chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that causes red, itchy sores (=pox) all over the body. It used to be a prevalent childhood disease, infecting nearly all children in the United States. However, since the development of the chickenpox vaccine in 1995, cases have continued to decline. Chickenpox usually causes mild symptoms in healthy children. In comparison, it can be severe for adults, pregnant women and newborns, and people with weakened immune systems (i.e., those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and transplant patients).

Shingles is a disease that targets people previously infected with chickenpox. This disease may cause a painful, burning rash on one area of the body, or it may spread to various body parts. Medical experts have estimated that nearly one-third of Americans will get shingles at some point in their lifetime, most often after age 50. The average recovery time for shingles is three to five weeks, but it sometimes causes long-term pain and other health problems.

Other symptoms related to both chickenpox and Shingles include:

- Fever

- Headaches

- Sore throat

You or your healthcare may also order a VZV DNA PCR test to check for immunity to the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). You have immunity if you've had chickenpox or had the chickenpox vaccine. If you have immunity, you can't get chickenpox, but you can still get shingles later in life.

Other names:

Chickenpox

Herpes Zoster

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

Shingles

Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)

Varicella-Zoster Virus Detection by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), CSF

Varicella-Zoster Virus Detection by Real-Time PCR

VZV Dermal

VZV Detection by Real-Time PCR

References:

Cinque P, Bossolasco S, Vago L, Fornara C, Lipari S, Racca S, Lazzarin A, Linde A. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus: VZV disease of the central nervous system or subclinical reactivation of VZV infection? Clin Infect Dis. 1997 Sep;25(3):634-9. doi: 10.1086/513754. PMID: 9314452.

Brown M, Scarborough M, Brink N, Manji H, Miller R. Varicella zoster virus-associated neurological disease in HIV-infected patients. Int J STD AIDS. 2001 Feb;12(2):79-83. doi: 10.1258/0956462011916820. PMID: 11236108.

Studahl M, Hagberg L, Rekabdar E, Bergström T. Herpesvirus DNA detection in cerebral spinal fluid: differences in clinical presentation between alpha-, beta-, and gamma-herpesviruses. Scand J Infect Dis. 2000;32(3):237-48. doi: 10.1080/00365540050165857. PMID: 10879592.

Iten A, Chatelard P, Vuadens P, Miklossy J, Meuli R, Sahli R, Meylan PR. Impact of cerebrospinal fluid PCR on the management of HIV-infected patients with varicella-zoster virus infection of the central nervous system. J Neurovirol. 1999 Apr;5(2):172-80. doi: 10.3109/13550289909021999. PMID: 10321981.

Sauerbrei A. Varicella-zoster virus infections - antiviral therapy and diagnosis. GMS Infect Dis. 2016 Feb 17;4:Doc01. doi: 10.3205/id000019. PMID: 30671315; PMCID: PMC6301744.

Sauerbrei A. Diagnosis, antiviral therapy, and prophylaxis of varicella-zoster virus infections. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2016 May;35(5):723-34. doi: 10.1007/s10096-016-2605-0. Epub 2016 Feb 12. PMID: 26873382.

10 000+ happy customers
100% satisfaction
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ customer support

Understand blood, stool, and urine medical results from all your laboratories.

Upload Your Personal Results

Upload Personal Results

For professional account plans go here

for professional account plans go here

Monthly plan

Annual plan

Own it for life

  • Subscription
  • Data entry service included

    Data entry service

    Our exclusive data entry service is a convenient way to get your results into your private dashboard. Simply attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and one of our qualified data entry team members will add the results for you. We support all sorts of files, whether PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is excellent whether you have a lot of reports to upload or are too busy to do the data entry yourself.

  • Instant interpretation
  • Use free data entry form

    Free data entry form

    We strive to make the data entry process easy for you. Whether by offering dozens of templates to choose from that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels or by giving you instant feedback on the entered values. Our data entry forms are an easy, fast, and convenient way to enter the reports yourself. There is no limit on how many lab reports you can upload.

  • 4000+ biomarkers explained
  • Nutrition recommendations
  • Cancel anytime

Complete

$15 /month

billed every month

  • monthly
  • $15 per report
  • ✓ Instant interpretations
  • ✓ 4000+ biomarkers explained
  • ✓ Nutrition recommendations
  • ✓ Free data entry form
  • ✓ Unlimited data
  • ✓ $15 data entry service
  • ✓ Cancel anytime

Most popular

Data entry included

Advanced

$79 /year

$6.60/month billed annually

  • yearly
  • 5 reports free
  • ✓ Instant interpretations
  • ✓ 4000+ biomarkers explained
  • ✓ Nutrition recommendations
  • ✓ We enter 5 reports for you
  • ✓ Yearly subscription
  • ✓ Cancel anytime

Data entry included

Unlimited

$250 /once

own it for life

  • pay once
  • 10 reports free
  • ✓ Instant interpretations
  • ✓ 4000+ biomarkers explained
  • ✓ Nutrition recommendations
  • ✓ We enter 10 reports for you
  • ✓ No subscription
  • ✓ Dedicated support
  • ✓ Unlimited access

Are You a Health Professional?

Get started with our professional plan

Welcome to Healthmatters Pro.

Save time on interpreting lab results with the largest database of biomarkers online. In-depth research on any test at your fingertips, all stored and tracked in one place. Learn more

Pro Monthly Plus

for health professionals

  • ✓ Track multiple clients results
  • ✓ No setup fees
  • ✓ No hidden costs
  • ✓ Instant interpretations
  • ✓ 4000+ biomarkers explained
  • ✓ Includes data entry service
  • ✓ Personal training and support
  • ✓ Cancel anytime

$75 per month

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.