Main method for confirmation of arboviral infections?

Main method for confirmation of arboviral infections?

• A. Serologic tests for antibodies
• B. PCR testing of the virus
• C. Virus culture
• D. Rapid antigen tests

Answer: (A)

Confirmation of arboviral infections hinges on detecting the body's immune response to the virus. Serologic testing for virus-specific antibodies is used because viremia is often short-lived and difficult to catch, while the antibody response persists and provides a reliable marker of recent exposure. In practice, testing for IgM antibodies can indicate a recent infection, and paired serum samples showing a rise in IgG or a neutralizing antibody test help confirm which specific arbovirus caused the illness, especially given cross-reactivity among related viruses. While molecular tests like PCR can detect viral RNA in the very early phase, their window is narrow and they may miss later presentations. Virus culture is impractical for routine confirmation due to time and biosafety requirements, and rapid antigen tests are not universally available or sufficiently sensitive for all arboviruses. Thus antibody-based serology is the standard approach for confirming arboviral infections.

Confirmation of arboviral infections hinges on detecting the body's immune response to the virus. Serologic testing for virus-specific antibodies is used because viremia is often short-lived and difficult to catch, while the antibody response persists and provides a reliable marker of recent exposure. In practice, testing for IgM antibodies can indicate a recent infection, and paired serum samples showing a rise in IgG or a neutralizing antibody test help confirm which specific arbovirus caused the illness, especially given cross-reactivity among related viruses. While molecular tests like PCR can detect viral RNA in the very early phase, their window is narrow and they may miss later presentations. Virus culture is impractical for routine confirmation due to time and biosafety requirements, and rapid antigen tests are not universally available or sufficiently sensitive for all arboviruses. Thus antibody-based serology is the standard approach for confirming arboviral infections.