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Serology

Advanced, automated laboratory testing for streamlined diagnosis and impactful treatment

Serology remains a paramount addition to the medical testing and diagnosis repertoire, providing insightful and reliable results, pinpointing precise treatment options. Roche’s commitment to pioneering innovation enables advanced and reliable testing through automated serological assays delivering prompt, accurate and insightful diagnosis.

Serological testing has proven 99% specificity and 96% sensitivity1

 

Defined as a laboratory test carried out on a blood serum sample, serological testing remains a reliable and stable diagnosis solution for seeking out antibodies in the bloodstream, though the term “serology” can link to the scientific study of any serum or bodily fluid.2 Serology has benefitted medical professionals in gaining a detailed understanding of viral, parcistic and bacterial diseases, producing insights about when an individual has been infected and the treatment options to be considered.  

 

Traditionally done using serum which is extracted from blood once it has been left to clot, serology-based testing will explore immunoglobulins within the blood alongside any discernible antigens which may have caused this activity. A serological assay will then look to identify different amounts of specific immunoglobulins, antibodies, proteins and antigens, or any changes in the presence of the antibodies or antigens over time, usually between 1-4 weeks.3

 

Advanced serology determines differences between acute, chronic and reactivated infections, particularly in asymptomatic individuals. This testing approach is also popular when diagnosing autoimmune related illnesses, understanding natural or vaccine induced immunity and for prophylactic diagnosis and treatments in response to organ donation.4

Women holidng test tube with blood

Types of serological testing

There is a wide variety of types of serological tests, each providing individual insights which can be combined, contributing to detailed and insightful assertions of patient health and diagnosis. Much of the serology diagnosis procedure can be automated with advanced equipment, ensuring a wide variety of results can be accessed in record time without straining your workflow.

Serological diagnosis

Serological diagnosis offers a great many benefits to medical professionals, including a comprehensive breakdown of an individual’s bodily response to a foreign infection, bacteria or parasite. However, the process also faces a variety of challenges.3

 

Especially in newborn children and the immunocompromised, readings of immunoglobulins and antibodies can be difficult to acquire and dissect due to possible delays in bodily response or abnormalities. Some infections rarely trigger an antibody response that is easily detectable in serology testing, and some specific test types do not offer room for ambiguous results so sometimes produce readings which overlook or undermine important details, or needs for further testing.

 

Serological assay solutions

To gain the most insightful understanding from serological diagnosis, an advanced serological assay which enables multiple, ongoing testing is essential. Roche utilises Elecsys® assays to ensure reliable detection of infectious samples through extensive variant coverage. The automated sample handling decreases risk of handling errors, minimising the need for retesting and reducing loss of donations. This improves workflow and overall efficiency in serological testing.  


The cobas® e 801 analytical unit can manage 300 tests, per unit, per hour.11 A high throughput immunochemistry module that performs a broad range of heterogeneous immunoassay tests using the highly innovative and patented ElectroChemiLuminescence (ECL) technology. Alongside the cobas® e 411 analyser access to both qualitative and quantitative in-vitro assay determining a broad range of applications, revolutionise your serology testing for maximum efficacy and treatment success.12

Learn more about Serology:

  1.  Centres for Disease Control Prevention. COVID Data Tracker. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/serology-testing.html

  2. Britannica. Serological test.. https://www.britannica.com/science/serological-test

  3. Vainionpää, R., Waris, M. and Leinikki, P. 2015. Diagnostic techniques: Serological and molecular approaches. Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences. pp.29-37.

  4. Roche Diagnostics. Donor Screening - Serology Solutions. https://diagnostics.roche.com/global/en/products/product-category/donor-screening-serology-solutions.html

  5. MedicinePlus. Latex agglutination test. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003334.htm

  6. 12.2D: Precipitation Reactions. https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/12%3A_Immunology_Applications/12.02%3A_Immunoassays_for_Disease/12.2D%3A_Precipitation_Reactions#:~:text=Precipitation%20reactions%20are%20serological%20assays,of%20a%20patient%20with%20infection.

  7. Fluorescent Antibody Technique. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/fluorescent-antibody-technique

  8. Alhajj, M. and Farhana, A. 2022. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. StatPearls.

  9. Radioimmunoassay. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/radioimmunoassay

  10. MedicinePlus. Hemoglobin Electrophoresis. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-electrophoresis/
  11. Roche Diagnostics. cobas® e 801 analytical unit. https://diagnostics.roche.com/global/en/products/instruments/cobas-e-801-ins-2202.html

  12. Roche Diagnostics. cobas® e 411 analyser https://diagnostics.roche.com/global/en/products/instruments/cobas-e-411-ins-502.html