[Rational use of viral serology in the child]

Very sensitive and allowing discrimination between IgG and IgM, the enzyme immunoassays are the most commonly used to carry out viral serologies. The presence of IgG corresponding to a natural or postvaccination immune status or to a latent or occult infection is a reliable information to assess the protection against some opportunistic or teratogenic infections respectively in children or pregnant women. The search of IgM by immunocapture is suitable to early diagnose the majority of common viral diseases in childhood, specially when presenting in an atypical form, and to attest a congenital rubella infection. Moreover, IgG avidity proved to be useful in dating an infection and confirming positive IgM results. However, viral infections localized at an entry site of the host, such as respiratory and enteric diseases, as well as syndromes of herpes simplex and enteroviral origin, do not represent indications of serological diagnosis. Provided its use with discernment, the serological diagnosis of viral infections have to be considered as a high performance and of low cost biological tool.