A varicella-zoster antibody pattern with rising and falling titers over weeks is most consistent with which status?

A varicella-zoster antibody pattern with rising and falling titers over weeks is most consistent with which status?

• A. Acute infection
• B. Chronic infection
• C. Past infection with varicella
• D. Vaccination-induced immunity

Answer: (C)

Antibody patterns over time reveal whether the immune response is ongoing or has settled. A rise in titers that then falls over several weeks fits a transient, resolved infection rather than an active one. In varicella-zoster serology, an acute infection typically shows an early IgM response and a clear rise in IgG between the acute and convalescent samples, whereas a pattern of titers that rise and fall without a sustained acute-phase response is consistent with immunity from a past exposure. Therefore, this pattern most aligns with a past varicella infection.

Antibody patterns over time reveal whether the immune response is ongoing or has settled. A rise in titers that then falls over several weeks fits a transient, resolved infection rather than an active one. In varicella-zoster serology, an acute infection typically shows an early IgM response and a clear rise in IgG between the acute and convalescent samples, whereas a pattern of titers that rise and fall without a sustained acute-phase response is consistent with immunity from a past exposure. Therefore, this pattern most aligns with a past varicella infection.