Serology & Immunology Tests in Lucknow
Antibody and antigen tests for infections, immunity and autoimmune conditions.
Serology looks for antibodies and antigens in the blood — the fingerprints your immune system leaves when it meets an infection, and the markers that reveal an autoimmune or inflammatory condition. It answers questions a simple count cannot: not just that you are unwell, but why.
At Charak, these immunoassays are run on validated platforms with the controls each test demands. Some serology, such as an HIV screen, is confidential and preceded by counselling — a legal safeguard we treat as it is meant, not as a formality.
What serology can detect
Serology confirms infections like dengue, typhoid, hepatitis and many others by finding the antibody the body has made against them, or the antigen the organism carries.
The same principles detect autoimmune conditions — where the immune system attacks the body's own tissue — through markers like ANA and RA factor, and track inflammation through CRP. It is the bridge between infection and immunity.
Your doctor may order serology tests for
- Fever with suspected dengue, typhoid or a viral infection
- Screening for hepatitis B and C, or HIV (with counselling)
- Joint pain and suspected rheumatoid or autoimmune disease
- Raised inflammation markers (CRP)
- Thyroid antibodies alongside a thyroid profile
- Confirming immunity after vaccination
How to prepare
Certain tests, such as an HIV screen, are confidential and include pre-test counselling by law. Our staff will speak with you first — this protects you, and it is never skipped.
- Most serology tests need no fasting
- Timing matters for some infections — a few antibodies take days to appear, so the test date is chosen with your doctor
- Bring any earlier related reports for comparison
- Take your usual medicines unless told otherwise
What to expect
- 01
Counselling, if required
For confidential tests such as HIV, a brief, private counselling conversation comes first.
- 02
Sample collection
A blood sample is drawn — the serum carries the antibodies and antigens being measured.
- 03
The assay
The sample is run on an immunoassay that detects the specific marker, with positive and negative controls each time.
- 04
Confidential report
Results are released to you, and sensitive results are handled with the confidentiality they require.
Common questions
Why does an HIV test involve counselling?
Pre-test counselling for HIV is a legal and ethical safeguard. It is a short, confidential conversation so you understand the test and what a result means, and it is always done with your privacy protected.
When is the right time to test for dengue or typhoid?
Some antibodies take a few days after symptoms begin to become detectable, so testing too early can miss them. Your doctor chooses the timing so the result is meaningful.
Are my serology results kept confidential?
Yes. All results are confidential, and sensitive results such as HIV, hepatitis and similar are handled with particular care about who can access them.
From the health library
Plain-language guides written by the team here — what the test measures, how to prepare, and what the result means.
Allergy testing in Lucknow: what it can tell you, and what it cannotA positive allergy test does not mean you are allergic. What testing is genuinely for, and why broad panels cause more confusion than they solve.5 min read
Monsoon fever in Lucknow: is it dengue, typhoid, malaria — or none of them?Four illnesses, one symptom. What actually separates dengue from typhoid from malaria, and which test answers which question.6 min read
Dengue test in Lucknow: when to test, which test, and what the platelet count really meansDay one fever and day five fever need different dengue tests. Here is which one is right when, and what the platelet number is actually telling you.7 min read
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