New Delhi: A variety of tests are available in the pathology labs to detect the presence of the Covid-19 virus in humans. While RT-PCR, TrueNAT, and Rapid Antigen Test detect the infection in the human body, there is a separate test that can be is conducted to determine if an individual has had a past infection with the virus that causes Covid-19.
This test is called the antibody test. Antibody tests are used for the detection of past infections and also the immune response from vaccination.
What is Antibody?
It is a substance formed by the immune system in our body to identify and fight foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses.
This antibody attacks any viruses that may harm our body. A person who has recovered from the Covid-19 infection sometimes takes up to a week to form antibodies. There are two types of antibodies IgM and IgG.
When a person contracts an infection, the first antibody produced is called ‘IgM’. IgM is usually the first antibody produced by the immune system when a virus attacks. In a Covid-19 patient, infected or recently recovered, IgM antibody can persist for weeks to months following infection. Many health experts have reported that IgM indicates that the person has entered the immune phase.
IgG antibodies are likely to show later and could remain detectable for longer periods. These are considered the more important antibodies that protect the body against viruses in the long term. These antibodies are said to grow four to eight weeks after infection and decline comparatively slowly.
How are antibodies detected?
An antibody test, also known as a serology test, is done by taking a sample of your blood. It reports the presence of the Covid-19 virus quickly and is also cheaper than RT-PCR. The antibody test costs up to Rs 500.
Benefits of Antibody Test
This test detects the presence of Covid-19 faster than other tests. The test is quite cheaper than other Covid-19 tests. The procedure for this test is simple by just taking a blood sample. This test is also used nowadays for quick determination of the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.