serólogísk

Serólogísk is an adjective that denotes matters related to serology, the branch of immunology that studies serum antibodies and antigen–antibody reactions. In clinical practice, serólogísk testing aims to detect either antibodies in blood serum, indicating exposure to a pathogen or immune response, or antigens, which may reflect an active infection or other immune phenomena. Serum, the liquid component of blood obtained after clotting, is the primary specimen used in most serological assays.

Common methods include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), agglutination tests, precipitation assays, Western blot, and indirect immunofluorescence. Rapid tests such as lateral flow immunochromatographic assays provide point‑of‑care serólogísk results, often used for initial screening. Serology can also distinguish antibody classes, notably IgM and IgG, to help infer timing of infection or assess vaccine-induced immunity.

Applications span diagnosis of infectious diseases (for example, HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis), blood donor screening, autoimmune disease evaluation through autoantibody detection, and serosurveys that estimate population exposure. Serology also supports vaccine research by measuring antibody responses and durability of immunity.

Limitations include the lag between infection and detectable antibodies (the window period), potential cross‑reactivity leading to false positives, and variable test performance across pathogens. Results must be interpreted with clinical context and, when needed, confirmed by additional testing or molecular methods.