Diagnosis of Viral diseases
Viral diseases Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Diagnosis of Viral diseases: medical news summaries:
The following medical news items
are relevant to diagnosis and misdiagnosis issues for Viral diseases:
Diagnostic Tests for Viral diseases: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about diagnostis of Viral diseases.
Respiratory syncytial virus infection:
Diagnosis
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Diagnosis is usually based on clinical findings and epidemiologic information.
❑Many facilities can perform rapid tests for the virus using fluid obtained from the nose.
❑Cultures of nasal and pharyngeal secretions may show RSV; however, the virus is labile, so cultures aren't always reliable.
❑Chest X-rays help detect pneumonia.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Ebola virus infection:
Diagnosis
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Specialized laboratory tests reveal specific antigens or antibodies and may show the isolated virus. As with other types of hemorrhagic fever, tests also demonstrate neutrophil leukocytosis, hypofibrinogenemia, thrombocytopenia, and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Viral hepatitis:
Diagnosis
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
A hepatitis profile, which identifies antibodies specific to the causative virus and establishes the type of hepatitis, is routine in suspected viral hepatitis.
❑ Type A: Detection of an antibody to hepatitis A confirms the diagnosis.
❑ Type B: The presence of HBsAg and hepatitis B antibodies confirms the diagnosis.
❑ Type C: Diagnosis depends on serologic testing for the specific antibody 1 or more months after the onset of acute hepatitis. Until then, the diagnosis is established primarily by obtaining negative test results for hepatitis A, B, and D.
❑ Type D: Detection of intrahepatic delta antigens or immunoglobulin (Ig) antidelta antigens in acute disease (or IgM and IgG in chronic disease) establishes the diagnosis.
❑ Type E: Detection of hepatitis E antigens supports the diagnosis; however, the diagnosis may also be determined by ruling out hepatitis C.
❑ Type G: Detection of hepatitis G antigen supports the diagnosis but doesn’t clearly implicate infection; the patient may be otherwise asymptomatic.
Additional findings from liver function studies support the diagnosis:
❑ Serum aspartate aminotransferase and serum alanine aminotransferase levels are increased in the prodromal stage of acute viral hepatitis.
❑ Serum alkaline phosphatase levels are slightly increased.
❑ Serum bilirubin levels are elevated. Levels may continue to be high late in the disease, especially in severe cases.
❑ Prothrombin time is prolonged (more than 3 seconds longer than normal indicates severe liver damage).
❑ White blood cell counts commonly reveal transient neutropenia and lymphopenia followed by lymphocytosis.
❑ Liver biopsy is performed if chronic hepatitis is suspected; however, it’s performed for acute hepatitis only if the diagnosis is questionable.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Respiratory syncytial virus infection:
Diagnosis
(Handbook of Diseases)
The following clinical findings and epidemiologic information aid in the diagnosis:
❑ Cultures of nasal and pharyngeal secretions may show RSV.
❑ Serum antibody titers may be elevated, but before age 6 months, maternal antibodies may impair test results.
❑ Serology for RSV is positive.
❑ Chest X-rays help detect pneumonia or bronchiolitis.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Ebola virus infection:
Diagnosis
(Handbook of Diseases)
Specialized laboratory tests reveal specific antigens or antibodies and may show the isolated virus. As with other types of hemorrhagic fever, tests also demonstrate neutrophil leukocytosis, hypofibrinogenemia, thrombocytopenia, and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Human immunodeficiency virus infection:
Diagnosis
(Handbook of Diseases)
The CDC defines AIDS as an illness characterized by one or more “indicator” diseases coexisting with laboratory evidence of HIV infection and other possible causes of immunosuppression. The CDC’s current AIDS surveillance case definition requires laboratory confirmation of HIV infection in people who have a CD4+ T-cell count of 200 cells/µl or who have an associated clinical condition or disease.
Antibody tests
The most commonly performed tests, antibody tests indicate HIV infection indirectly by revealing HIV antibodies. The recommended protocol requires initial screening of individuals and blood products with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A positive ELISA should be repeated and then confirmed by an alternate method, usually the Western blot or an immunofluorescence assay. However, antibody testing isn’t always reliable. Because the body takes a variable amount of time to produce a detectable level of antibodies, a “window” varying from a few weeks to as long as 35 months in one documented case allows an HIV-infected person to test negative for HIV antibodies.
Antibody tests are also unreliable in neonates because transferred maternal antibodies persist for 6 to 10 months. To overcome these problems, direct testing is performed to detect HIV. Direct tests include antigen tests (p24 antigen), HIV cultures, nucleic acid probes of peripheral blood lymphocytes with determination of HIV-1 ribonucleic acid levels, and the polymerase chain reaction.
Other tests
Additional tests to support the diagnosis and help evaluate the severity of immunosuppression include CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte subset counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, complete blood count, serum beta2-microglobulin, p24 antigen, neopterin levels, and anergy testing. Because many opportunistic infections in patients are reactivations of previous infections, patients are also tested for syphilis, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis and, in some areas, histoplasmosis.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Hepatitis, viral:
Diagnosis
(Handbook of Diseases)
In suspected viral hepatitis, a hepatitis profile is routinely performed. This study identifies antibodies specific to the causative virus, establishing the type of hepatitis as follows:
❑ Type A: Detection of an antibody to hepatitis A confirms the diagnosis.
❑ Type B: The presence of HBsAg and hepatitis B antibodies confirms the diagnosis.
❑ Type C: The diagnosis depends on serologic testing for the specific antibody 1 or more months after the onset of acute hepatitis. Until then, the diagnosis is established primarily by obtaining negative test results for hepatitis A, B, and D.
❑ Type D: Detection of intrahepatic delta antigens or immunoglobulin (Ig) M antidelta antigens in acute disease (or IgM and IgG in chronic disease) establishes the diagnosis.
❑ Type E: Detection of hepatitis E antigens supports the diagnosis; the diagnosis may also be determined by ruling out hepatitis C.
❑ Type G: Detection of hepatitis G antigen supports diagnosis; the patient may be otherwise symptomless.
Additional findings from liver function studies support the diagnosis:
❑ Serum aspartate aminotransferase and serum alanine aminotransferase levels are increased in the prodromal stage of acute viral hepatitis.
❑ Serum alkaline phosphatase levels are slightly increased.
❑ Serum bilirubin levels are elevated. Levels may continue to be high late in the disease, especially in severe cases.
❑ Prothrombin time (PT) is prolonged (more than 3 seconds longer than normal indicates severe liver damage).
❑ White blood cell counts commonly reveal transient neutropenia and lymphopenia followed by lymphocytosis.
❑ Liver biopsy is performed if chronic hepatitis is suspected. (It’s performed for acute hepatitis only if the diagnosis is questionable.)
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Most of us are familiar with the symptoms of the flu—fever, chills, fatigue, stuffy nose, sore throat. Most of us know that it is caused by the...
Each year you hear about small outbreaks of meningitis. It is highly contagious and sometimes fatal. Learn why the classic symptoms of a high fever...
Adults may already know the new ways to avoid catching and spreading the flu. But you may need to teach these behaviors to kids. Listen to an...
Genital herpes remains one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases, but most don't know they are infected. Learn how to stay safe and...
See full list of 12 related videos
» Next page:
Signs of Viral diseases
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
