Serostatus
Encyclopedia
Serostatus is a term used to refer to the presence or absence of specific substances in the blood serum
. Most commonly, this medical test
is looking for specific antibodies in an effort to diagnose a particular disease.
A person's test results can be seropositive or seronegative or indeterminate. Seronegative refers to the absence of the specific antibodies (or other substance) that were being tested for. Seropositive refers to the presence of the specific antibodies that were being tested for.
These tests are most commonly used to identify HIV
infection and to find rheumatoid factor
, although it is possible to apply this concept to hundreds of other diseases and medical conditions. To understand the result, it is necessary to know what antibodies the test was looking for, because a person who is seropositive for any one condition is not any more likely to be seropositive for another, unrelated condition.
Blood serum
In blood, the serum is the component that is neither a blood cell nor a clotting factor; it is the blood plasma with the fibrinogens removed...
. Most commonly, this medical test
Medical test
A diagnostic test is any kind of medical test performed to aid in the diagnosis or detection of disease. For example:* to diagnose diseases, and preferably sub-classify it regarding, for example, severity and treatability...
is looking for specific antibodies in an effort to diagnose a particular disease.
A person's test results can be seropositive or seronegative or indeterminate. Seronegative refers to the absence of the specific antibodies (or other substance) that were being tested for. Seropositive refers to the presence of the specific antibodies that were being tested for.
These tests are most commonly used to identify HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
infection and to find rheumatoid factor
Rheumatoid factor
Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody most relevant in rheumatoid arthritis. It is defined as an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG. RF and IgG join to form immune complexes that contribute to the disease process...
, although it is possible to apply this concept to hundreds of other diseases and medical conditions. To understand the result, it is necessary to know what antibodies the test was looking for, because a person who is seropositive for any one condition is not any more likely to be seropositive for another, unrelated condition.