Schick Test

Schick test

[′shik ‚test]

(immunology)

A skin test for determining susceptibility to diphtheria performed by the intradermal injection of diluted diphtheria toxin; a positive reaction, showing edema and scaling after 5 to 7 days, indicates lack of immunity.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Schick Test

 

a skin test used to determine human susceptibility to diphtheria; one of the allergy-based diagnostic tests, proposed in 1913 by the Austrian pediatrician B. Schick. Dilute active diphtheria toxin is injected into the skin. Local inflammation (reddening, edema) develops three to four days later, and an individual’s reaction is evaluated from the severity of the inflammation. The Schick test is used to determine which individuals, primarily children, should be vaccinated against diphtheria.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.