Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
Serology
DENGUE PROFILE bundles the three most common dengue blood tests — NS1 antigen, IgM antibody, and IgG antibody — into a single order, rather than your doctor requesting them one at a time. Each of the three tests is most useful at a different point in the illness: NS1 catches the virus itself in the first week, IgM appears once your immune system has responded a few days in, and IgG shows whether this is a new exposure or a repeat one. Ordering all three together is especially useful when it isn't clear exactly how many days you've had fever, since at least one of the three is likely to be informative at almost any stage of a dengue illness.
Three separate readings come back from this single blood sample — NS1 antigen, IgM antibody, and IgG antibody — each reported as positive or negative. Because the three markers rise and fall on different timelines over the course of a dengue illness, your doctor reads them as a set rather than any one alone: an early positive NS1 with negative antibodies suggests very early infection, while positive antibodies with a fading NS1 suggest the illness has moved further along. A single blood draw covers all three, with no fasting or special preparation needed.
Dengue infection follows a fairly predictable order of blood markers. The NS1 antigen, a viral protein, appears first and is usually gone within about nine days. IgM antibody follows, typically detectable from day four or five and lasting around three months. IgG, the longest-lasting of the three, builds more slowly after a first infection but can appear quickly and strongly after a repeat one.
Testing all three at once means your doctor isn't relying on guessing which stage of illness you're in. If you're seen on day 2 of fever, NS1 is more likely to be positive while the antibodies may still be negative; seen on day 8, NS1 may already be fading just as IgM becomes reliably positive. Ordering the full profile removes some of that guesswork from a single visit.
Beyond simply confirming dengue, comparing IgM and IgG together within the profile can suggest whether this is a first or repeat dengue infection, since a repeat infection tends to show a stronger, faster IgG response. Your doctor interprets your specific combination of three results against how many days you've been unwell, since each marker's meaning depends on timing.
It bundles three tests from one blood sample: NS1 antigen, IgM antibody, and IgG antibody, each reported separately.
The result is the same three readings, but ordering them together means your doctor gets a full picture from one visit and one blood draw, rather than deciding which single test to request first.
Each marker is most reliable at a different point in the illness, so ordering all three removes some of the guesswork about exactly how many days you've been unwell.
No. It shows whether NS1, IgM, and IgG are present, not which of the four dengue virus serotypes caused your infection.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
No. No special preparation, including fasting, is needed before this blood draw.
It can be useful at almost any stage, since NS1 covers the earliest days and the antibodies cover later ones, but ask your doctor about the best timing for your specific symptoms.
A negative result across all three markers makes dengue less likely, but very early or very late testing can still miss an infection, so your doctor will weigh it against your symptoms and, if needed, repeat testing.