Specimen: Blood

Results: 1-3 business days

Description: An IgG antibody test for measles or mumps may be ordered whenever a health practitioner wants to determine whether a person is immune to one or both of the viruses, either because of a previous infection or due to vaccination. Measles and mumps antibodies are virus-specific proteins produced by the immune system in response to an infection by the measles or mumps virus, or in response to vaccination. There are two types of antibodies produced, IgM and IgG. The first type to appear in the blood after exposure or vaccination is IgM antibodies. Levels of IgM antibodies increase for several days to a maximum level and then begin to taper off over the next few weeks. IgG antibodies take a bit longer to develop, but once they do, they stay positive for life, providing protection against re-infection. Sometimes, testing of two blood samples obtained weeks apart (acute and convalescent) is used to differentiate between an active and prior infection by comparing the level of antibody in the two samples.

*Please note: The result turn around time is an estimate only and not guaranteed. The reference lab may need additional time due to conditions with the weather, confirmation or repeat testing, or equipment maintenance and other reasons out of our control.