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
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.
Agglutination: A test which explores whether specific antibodies have attached themselves to any antigens5
Precipitation: A serological assay based test which identifies immunoglobulin levels within the blood6
Fluorescent antibody technique: A test used to identify a specific viral infection or bacteria within the blood e.g. mumps or measles7
ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immuno Absorbent Assay): A high-quality, highly sensitive test which can ascertain precise quantities of antibodies, antigens, proteins, glycoproteins, and hormones within the sample8
Radioimmunoassay (RIA): A precise and sensitive measure of the concentration of an antigen within the sample9
Electrophoresis: A test which applies an electric current to a sample, to determine the presence of specific proteins such as haemoglobin10
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.
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
