A blog post on IgM and IgG titers.
What are people most concerned with regarding the scary new virus? How do you know if you have it. While googling symptoms can help to indicate if you’re in danger, the only way to truly determine if you’re infected is a test. There are currently tests to indicate whether you’re positive for covid-19. Tests can also show if you were previously exposed and have since recovered based on antibody response.
Testing positive for certain titers can indicate infection. This works as specific antibodies are generated by the immune system in response to the presence of the virus. If exposed to the virus, an individual will have IgM antibodies and/or IgG antibodies present in the blood. IgM antibodies are associated with a current infection. IgG antibodies appear later in/after an infection.
Antibody detection can further indicate what stage an individual is in their infection. A higher IgM indicates the beginning of an infection (current infection) as the first antibody is being produced in response. Having primarily an IgG antibody titer can be interpreted as having been infected in the past/recently. Positive tests for both IgM and IgG indicate a current infection that can be interpreted as later stage as IgG is being produced. Overall, antibody detection can help to indicate exposure to the novel coronavirus.
Kalei is a Scientist 