A 19-year-old college student develops a rash. She works part-time in a pediatric AIDS clinic. Her blood is drawn and tested for specific antibody to the chicken pox virus (varicella-zoster). Which of the following antibody classes would you expect to find if she is immune to chicken pox?
High-Yield Explanation
The initial response to a new infection is with an IgM class antibody. IgM develops quickly and usually disappears within a few months. The secondary response is IgG and reflects the patient's immune status or, in the case of chicken pox, a vaccination given.