Chickenpox Testing and Reporting

Testing for Chickenpox

When diagnosing chickenpox in a patient, whether clinically or by confirmed lab, please complete the chickenpox worksheet and send to NYK Health along with the lab results or EPID200 form.

One of the following tests is needed to diagnose Chickenpox:

• Positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA,b,c OR

• Positive direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) for VZV DNA, OR

• Isolation of VZV, OR

• Significant rise (i.e., at least a 4-fold rise or seroconversionc,d) in paired acute and convalescent serum VZV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody.c,e
  
  

Please be sure to complete the form as much as possible. Please also include the characteristics and number of lesions and if they were beginning to crust.