Can you get private antibody testing for SF to see if you actually had it?

[whomovedmychocolate]

Does anyone know? I would rather pay and see whether either of my two diagnoses of swine flu were correct, than have an unnecessary immunisation.

Also obviously to know whether or not we have this joy still to come and plan accordingly.

think they can do it but not on national health, I'd like to know too really, mind you am fairly sure we had it several docs saw us and thought the same for me and my eldest, my youngest wasn't too poorly x

I know they won't do it on the NHS, but I'm trying to find out if there is an antibody test yet available. You can get tests done if you still have symptoms for £125 for a two day turnaround but I'm a bit late for that (May and July respectively).

What were symptoms? I am convinced both dd and dh had it while we were on holiday

Symptoms of swine flu generally or specifically to us?

I've looked into swabbing privately and was told you need to still have symptoms. We were too late by the time I tried to sort this out.
Will keep an eye on this thread as I would like to know too.

I suspect the answer is 'no you can't'. But it's a bit daft - you can have a blood assay to check for say chickenpox immunity. If we don't know if we've had it, how can we know if we are at risk?

Because it depends on how well antibody level correlates with protection. For VZV infection, it does; but we simply do not know that having antibody for H1N1v is protective.

There are antibody tests being worked up but these are only validated for research and for surveillance purposes.

hello the grammerpolice, do you have details of where you can get this done privately. DP still has symptoms and I'd like to know for sure. Thanks

Hi,
It was just from googling so I can't vouch for how good they are but it was called Moorgate MD, based in the City but branches elsewhere - a private GP chain it seems.

www.medichecks.com offer swine flu testing for £125 with a two day service.

Just a word of warning - we got a medichecks swine flu test done on my son but the turnaround time was 7 days, despite the advertised time being 2-3 days. Their explanation was that they were swamped at the moment.

we had a medichecks swab done and it took 2 days, surprisingly. Came back negative annoyingly.

Do you not get a clinical opinion on the result? May I ask why you perceive the result as disappointing?

Musukebba it was because I was really hoping we'd had it - dd, 14 months, was very ill for a week, high temp, horrible cough and snot, ds, 4 not so bad, temp for one night, cough, but I got chest and sinus infection and felt very unwell, dh just heavy cold. If that was just another type of flu it is disappointing as SF is still to come, and I am worried about how I, [asthmatic] and dd will cope with it.

I didn't get a clinical opinion on the result. And I had to take the swab myself, and wondered if I had done it properly [tried to get as far back down my throat without retching!]

Do you have any idea if the result could have been a false negative?

I don't honestly know as it is likely that these people send the swabs on to various other places for testing.

A false negative could be due to sample inhibition of the RT-PCR test, or maybe sampling too late in the infection, or taking a sample fron the wrong place.

Sample inhibition can be checked for by the lab using an internal control (if it's positive then at least you know the reaction is taking place and give a lot more confidence to the negative specific H1N1v result). Time of sampling ideally should be within 48-72 hrs of onset but we've had swabs positive after 7 days. Throat swab should be fine but nose swab better. Best of all is one swab from throat that is then put up the nose (if you can stand it!).

yes i did do both - throat and nose. But don't know if I did it high up enough. I guess we didn't have it, which I find depressing as we were all pretty ill and it would give me peace of mind to think we'd had it.

Thanks for the info though.

I have used Medichecks - shockingly bad service. They seem really helpful until they have your money, then are rude and incompetent - use another company if you are going private.

Bumping this old thread as I'd really like to know if it is now possible to have a private blood test anywhere for the antibodies.

I'm pregnant and trying to decide whether to have the flu jab or not, if I knew for sure I'd already had swine flu last year it would take the decision away for me.

I very much doubt that this service is available. Even if it were, no reputable virologist is going to give an opinion that being seropositive is the same as being protected.