Serology

Serology is the scientific study of serum and other bodily fluids. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of antibodies in the serum.^[1] Such antibodies are typically formed in response to an infection (against a given microorganism),^[2] against other foreign proteins (in response, for example, to a mismatched blood transfusion), or to one's own proteins (in instances of autoimmune disease).

Serological tests may be performed for diagnostic purposes when an infection is suspected, in rheumatic illnesses, and in many other situations, such as checking an individual's blood type.^[1] Serology blood tests help to diagnose patients with certain immune deficiencies associated with the lack of antibodies, such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia. In such cases, tests for antibodies will be consistently negative.

There are several serology techniques that can be used depending on the antibodies being studied. These include: ELISA, agglutination, precipitation, complement-fixation, and fluorescent antibodies.

Some serological tests are not limited to blood serum, but can also be performed on other bodily fluids such as semen and saliva, which have (roughly) similar properties to serum.

Serological tests may also be used in forensic serology, specifically for a piece of evidence (e.g., linking a rapist to a semen sample).

Serological surveys

Serological surveys are often used by epidemiologists to determine the prevalence of a disease in a population. Such surveys are sometimes performed by random, anonymous sampling from samples taken for other medical tests.

Notes and references

1 2 Ryan KJ, Ray CG, eds. (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. pp. 247–9. ISBN 0-8385-8529-9.
↑ Washington JA (1996). Baron S, et al., eds. Principles of Diagnosis: Serodiagnosis. in: Baron's Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). Univ of Texas Medical Branch. ISBN 0-9631172-1-1.

External links

Serology (archived) – MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Serologic Tests at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Medicine: Pathology

Principles of pathology	Disease Infection Neoplasia Etiology Pathogenesis Hemodynamics Ischemia Inflammation Cell damage Wound healing Cellular adaptation Atrophy Hypertrophy Hyperplasia Dysplasia Metaplasia Squamous Glandular Cell death Necrosis Coagulative necrosis Liquefactive necrosis Gangrenous necrosis Caseous necrosis Fat necrosis Fibrinoid necrosis Programmed cell death Apoptosis Pyknosis Karyorrhexis Karyolysis Accumulations pigment Hemosiderin Lipochrome/Lipofuscin Melanin Steatosis

Anatomical pathology	Surgical pathology Cytopathology Autopsy Molecular pathology Forensic pathology Oral and maxillofacial pathology Gross examination Histopathology Immunohistochemistry Electron microscopy Immunofluorescence Fluorescence in situ hybridization

Clinical pathology	Clinical chemistry Hematopathology Transfusion medicine Medical microbiology Diagnostic immunology Immunopathology Enzyme assay Mass spectrometry Chromatography Flow cytometry Blood bank Microbiological culture Serology

Specific conditions	Myocardial infarction

Medical tests: Immunologic techniques and tests (CPT 86000–86849)

Immunologic techniques
and tests

serology/
diagnostic immunology

Immunoprecipitation	Chromatin immunoprecipitation Immunodiffusion Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion Radial immunodiffusion Immunoelectrophoresis Counterimmunoelectrophoresis

Immunoassay	ELISA ELISPOT Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique RAST test Radioimmunoassay Radiobinding assay Immunofluorescence

Agglutination	Hemagglutination/Hemagglutinin Coombs test Latex fixation test

Other	Nephelometry Complement fixation test Immunocytochemistry Immunohistochemistry Direct fluorescent antibody Epitope mapping Skin allergy test Patch test

Inflammation

CBC
- lymphocyte count

Reference ranges for blood tests (CPT 82000–84999)

Electrolytes	Sodium Potassium Chloride Calcium Renal function Creatinine Urea BUN-to-creatinine ratio Plasma osmolality Serum osmolal gap

Acid-base	Anion gap Arterial blood gas Base excess Bicarbonate CO₂ content

Iron tests	Ferritin Serum iron Transferrin saturation Total iron-binding capacity Transferrin Transferrin receptor

Hormones	ACTH stimulation test Thyroid function tests Thyroid-stimulating hormone

Metabolism	Blood lipids

Cardiovascular	Cardiac marker Troponin test CPK-MB test Lactate dehydrogenase Myoglobin Glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB

Liver function tests	Proteins Human serum albumin Serum total protein ALP transaminases ALT AST AST/ALT ratio Bilirubin Unconjugated Conjugated

Pancreas	Amylase Lipase Pancreatic lipase

Authority control	NDL: 00565641

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Serology

Serological surveys

See also

Notes and references

External links