Dengue NS1 Antigen

This combined test panel is used to diagnose dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection common in tropical and subtropical regions, by detecting the virus and the body's immune response to it at different stages of illness.

The NS1 antigen is a viral protein that appears in the blood very early in infection, often detectable from the first day of fever through about day five, making it the most useful marker for early diagnosis.

As the infection progresses, the immune system begins producing IgM antibodies (typically detectable from around day 4 or 5 onward, indicating a recent or current infection) and later IgG antibodies, which persist for years and indicate past exposure or, in a secondary infection, can appear more quickly and at higher levels.

Testing all three markers together significantly improves diagnostic accuracy across the full timeline of illness, since relying on just one marker can miss infections detected outside its specific window.