Editing Measles (section)

===Laboratory testing===
Laboratory diagnosis of measles can be done with confirmation of positive measles [[IgM antibodies]] or detection of measles virus RNA from throat, nasal or urine specimen by using the [[reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction]] assay.<ref name=":6">{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt07-measles.html|title=Surveillance Manual {{!}} Measles {{!}} Vaccine Preventable Diseases |date=23 May 2019|website=U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC)|access-date=25 November 2019|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804015227/https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt07-measles.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":5"/> This method is particularly useful to confirm cases when the IgM antibodies results are inconclusive.<ref name=":6"/> For people unable to have their [[phlebotomy|blood drawn]], saliva can be collected for salivary measles-specific [[IgA]] testing.<ref name=":5">{{cite journal | vauthors = Friedman M, Hadari I, Goldstein V, Sarov I | title = Virus-specific secretory IgA antibodies as a means of rapid diagnosis of measles and mumps infection | journal = Israel Journal of Medical Sciences | volume = 19 | issue = 10 | pages = 881–4 | date = October 1983 | pmid = 6662670 }}</ref> Salivary tests used to diagnose measles involve collecting a saliva sample and testing for the presence of measles antibodies.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Dimech|first1=Wayne|last2=Mulders|first2=Mick N.|date=July 2016|title=A review of testing used in seroprevalence studies on measles and rubella|journal=Vaccine|volume=34|issue=35|pages=4119–4122|doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.06.006|pmid=27340096}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite journal |last1=Simon |first1=Jakub K. |last2=Ramirez |first2=Karina |last3=Cuberos |first3=Lilian |last4=Campbell |first4=James D. |last5=Viret |first5=Jean F. |last6=Muñoz |first6=Alma |last7=Lagos |first7=Rosanna |last8=Levine |first8=Myron M. |last9=Pasetti |first9=Marcela F. |title=Mucosal IgA Responses in Healthy Adult Volunteers following Intranasal Spray Delivery of a Live Attenuated Measles Vaccine |journal=Clinical and Vaccine Immunology |date=March 2011 |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=355–361 |doi=10.1128/CVI.00354-10 |pmid=21228137 |pmc=3067370 }}</ref> This method is not ideal, as saliva contains many other fluids and proteins which may make it difficult to collect samples and detect measles antibodies.<ref name=":3"/><ref name=":4"/> Saliva also contains 800 times fewer antibodies than blood samples do, which makes salivary testing additionally difficult. Positive contact with other people known to have measles adds evidence to the diagnosis.<ref name=":3"/>

Biopsies and [[Histopathology|histopathologic]] examinations are not typically used to diagnose measles, but [[Warthin–Finkeldey cell]]s, giant cells with multiple nuclei and eosinophilic inclusions, are frequently seen in affected [[Lymphatic system|lymphoid]] tissue but are not unique to measles.<ref name="Mil2015" /><ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last=Weisenberg |first=Elliot |date=9 August 2022 |title=Measles |url=https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lungnontumormeasles.html |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=PathologyOutlines.com |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630182204/https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lungnontumormeasles.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Affected [[epithelium]] may have giant cells with [[viral inclusion bodies]] or [[Cowdry bodies]].<ref name=":15" />