Anti-VZV IgG (Blood) (CSF)

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Testing Laboratory

Auckland Te Toka Tumai | Auckland Hospital

Department

Virology

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

VZIS

Test Code (Numeric Code)

8221

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

Serum, CSF

Transport

Ambient (8 - 24 °C) within 48 hours; Chilled (4 - 8 °C) if longer than 48 hours

Registration

VZIS

Test Adds Requirement

Request form must state which investigation is required (either IgG - immune status, or IgG and IgM - query chickenpox infection). NOTE: For diagnosis of acute chickenpox or zoster, send swab of vesicle fluid for VZV DNA PCR.

Sample Stability

Up to 48 hours: 8 - 24 °C; Up to 14 days: 4 - 8 °C; Up to 6 months: -30 °C; Indefinite at - 80 °C

Synonyms

Chickenpox
Shingles
Herpes zoster
Human herpesvirus 3

Turnaround Time

3 days

IgM testing is performed once a week.

Specimen Type

  • CSF
  • Serum

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred
  • CSF sterile tubes (Routine Analysis)
  • SST II (Gold Cap)
Acceptable
  • Plain(Microtainer)
  • SST(Microtainer)
  • Plain (Red Top)
Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

3.5

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

1

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred
  • CSF sterile tubes (Routine Analysis)
  • SST II (Gold Cap)
Acceptable
  • Plain(Microtainer)
  • SST(Microtainer)
  • Plain (Red Top)
Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

1

Pre-testing Requirements

Immune status:

NOTE: This test is routinely available on-call for at-risk patients eg immunosuppressed, pregnant, neonatal, who have been exposed to chickenpox and for whom the immune status is unknown.

Give details of contact/exposure, also full clinical details eg pregnant, immunosuppressed etc.

Additional Specimen Information

Paediatric Specimen: 2 mL clotted blood or 1 mL serum

Last updated: 13/05/2026