About 400 million people have dengue fever every year. About 100 million people are afflicted, and severe dengue disease claims 40,000 lives each year. Humans can contract dengue viruses by mosquito bites from infected Aedes species (Aedes albopictus or Aedes aegypti).
In water-storing containers like buckets, bowls, animal dishes, flower pots, and areas with standing water, mosquitoes deposit their eggs. Mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus can bite at any time of day or night. Mosquitoes contract the dengue virus when they bite a human carrying the sickness.
The virus can then be spread to other people by infected mosquitoes biting them. These mosquitoes can be found around humans both indoors and outdoors, and they bite people. The virus that causes dengue fever is diagnosed with the dengue IgM test.
By the end of the first week of illness, Dengue-specific IgM and neutralizing antibodies start to appear. Dengue IgM test results can be positive for four to five days after symptoms appear and can persist for up to twelve weeks, however, they can stay longer.
In order to perform the dengue IgM test, human IgM antibodies are first collected using an anti-human-IgM antibody on a microtiter plate, and then dengue virus antigens are added. The four dengue virus serotypes' envelope proteins are used to create the antigens used in this assay. As the immune system fights the infection, IgM antibodies to the dengue virus are consistently detectable for around 12 weeks, beginning 4-5 days after the onset of symptoms.
Testing with Dengue IgM test values yields a negative diagnostic result during the first 1–7 days of illness. A convalescent-phase specimen aids in the final identification of dengue virus infection under such circumstances.
Many persons who are exposed to any one of the four dengue virus serotypes (1-4) only get a mild sickness or no symptoms at all. If symptoms do appear, there's a good possibility they will go away completely in a matter of weeks. The early signs include a high-grade fever and flu-like symptoms that appear 4–7 days after the insect bite. The time frame, known as the incubation period, can be anywhere from three to fourteen days.
Some people with fevers recover on their own and don't experience any long-term effects. Others may experience dengue hemorrhagic fever, a severe form of the disease.
A new set of symptoms will emerge three to seven days after the initial symptoms and fever have faded if the disease progresses to this point.
In the second phase of the virus, blood vessels (the vascular system) may be damaged, leading to capillaries leaking fluid into the abdominal cavity (ascites) or the area surrounding the lungs (pleural effusion). The loss of fluid and blood during the second phase might be fatal if neglected.
During the following week of healing, a person may get a second rash that lasts for a week or more. Approximately four billion people, or more than half of the world's population, live in dengue-high-risk areas. One of the most frequent causes of illness in high-risk nations is dengue fever.
Other names of the dengue IgM test:
Dengue MAC-ELISA IgM
Serologic test for dengue virus
Dengue EIA IgM
Dengue virus IgM
Dengue test IgM
Dengue virus antibody IgM
What does the dengue IgM test/measure and who is this prescribed for?
The dengue IgM test values show antibodies to the dengue virus in the blood sample. The following are some of the most common indications in which the dengue test is indicated:
Fever after a visit to a place where dengue is prevalent.
When exposed to the dengue virus.
The sensation of moderate illness
Sudden high fever (104°F or 40°C)
Flu-like symptoms
Severe headaches
Pain behind the eyes
Joint pain
Bone pain
Low white blood cell count
Muscle discomfort
Skin rash
Nausea
Vomiting
Swollen glands
Doctors ask for the dengue IgM test reports if patients present with the following symptoms:
Nasal bleeding
Gum bleeding
Easy bruising
Blood in the vomit
Blood in the stools
Difficulty breathing
Cold, clammy skin in the extremities
The Dengue IgM test chart is advised for people who are at high risk of dengue infection. It includes:
People who have symptoms of dengue fever and live in high-risk areas of dengue.
People who have symptoms of dengue fever after a recent travel history to dengue-prone localities.
Dengue fever, Dengue haemorrhagic fever, Dengue shock syndrome
The dengue IgM test normal range:
Negative (<0.9) - The result does not rule out dengue infection. An additional sample should be tested for IgG & IgM serology in 7-14 days.
Equivocal (0.9-1.1) - Repeat sample after one-week
To confirm dengue infection, dengue IgG serology assays should be done on follow-up samples after 5-7 days of the beginning of fever.
The dengue IgM test Results:
Positive - Current infection
Low or negative - Recent infection
Low or negative - Past infection
Negative - Too soon after initial exposure for antibodies to develop or symptoms due to another cause (if the patient is found to be clinically positive)
Test result interpretation
Clinical symptoms and exposure history are used in correlation with the test values during the interpretation of the dengue IgM test results.
The dengue IgM test results may be in two forms:
Dengue IgM positive
Dengue IgM negative
Dengue IgM positive
Patients who test positive in dengue IgM test results indicate a recent dengue virus infection.
Dengue IgM negative
Patients with dengue IgM test negative results before day 8 of illness should not be ruled out for dengue infection. These cases might be unconfirmed cases. After day 7 of symptoms, a second sample collection is essential for further serological testing.
Patients with dengue IgM test negative results after seven days of symptoms are free of recent infection.
Patients who have changed test results from negative to positive in the dengue IgM test chart have current dengue infections.
Dengue IgM false-positive results can occur in people with chikungunya, Zika, West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis virus infection. Dengue IgM positive test findings in those who have had blood transfusions are considered invalid.
The results of a dengue IgM test procedure are based on the analysis of a blood sample.
Test Preparation
The dengue IgM test is a simple blood test. The dengue IgM procedure does not require fasting or any specific preparation. The dengue IgM test procedure needs only 5 minutes.
What are the parameters included in the test?
The dengue IgM test chart includes only one parameter. IgM antibody tests detect antibodies to the dengue virus produced by the immune system.
How frequently should you take this test?
If the dengue IgM test confirms the dengue diagnosis, the doctor will start the treatment. Treatment for dengue, like most acute conditions, needs 15-20 days.
If the symptoms do not disappear or new ones appear, the doctor will order another IgM test.
After 15 days, the IgM test is performed to confirm that the patient has healed. If the doctor suspects the previous report was false-negative or false-positive, they may ask for a test repetition after 7 to 10 days.