Serology test, serological test, or antibody test is a laboratory procedure done on a sample of blood serum to detect antibodies or antibody-like substances. There are different types of serological tests including neutralization tests, flocculation tests, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).
A serological centrifuge is a crucial equipment used routinely in laboratories to help carry out biochemical analyses on body fluids. A swinging-bucket serological centrifuge is also typically used in clinical laboratories for such purposes.
Serological Tests: Common Purposes
Serological testing is considered particularly beneficial in the diagnosis of certain viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases like measles, yellow fever, influenza, spotted fever, and infectious mononucleosis. It is also considered helpful in the detection of autoantibodies involved in autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
As a mass-screening tool, serological testing has also proven helpful in the detection of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and pandemic and epidemic diseases such as influenza and COVID-19.
How a Centrifuge Works
Centrifugation refers to the application of a force that will pull spinning objects outward. It works by separating suspended particles in liquids based on medium viscosity, rotor speed, and particle density and size.
Gravitational force will cause particles with higher density than the solvent to sink. On the other hand, particles with lower density will float to the top of the solution. In the case of serology centrifuge, blood cells are denser and will sink to the bottom, while plasma will float to the top of the tubes.
