skin test

n.
A test for detecting an allergy or infectious disease, performed by means of a patch test, scratch test, or intracutaneous injection of an allergen or extract of the disease-causing organism.

A procedure for evaluating the immunity status, involving the introduction of a reagent into or under the skin. Certain toxic antigens applied in minute doses will give a visible, but readily tolerated, lesion if less than a threshold amount of antibody is present in the skin. Examples are the Schick test for diphtheria antitoxin and the Dick test for scarlet fever antitoxin. If sufficient antibody is present, the toxin will be largely or completely neutralized, and the lesion will be minimal or absent. False positive reactions occur in allergies to the reagent toxin, but these can be controlled with inactivated toxins. Other tests involve substances that are not reactive with normal individuals, but give a visible skin reaction in the presence of antibodies acquired as a result of hypersensitivity or allergy to an infecting organism. A positive reaction is thus presumptive for previous contact with a specific infectious agent, for example, the tuberculin and Mantoux tests for tuberculosis, and the Mallein test for glanders. In a few instances, antibody may be injected as a reagent and the neutralization of toxins present in the skin observed, as in the Schultz-Charlton blanching test in scarlet fever.

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n.

A test for detection of an allergy or infectious disease, performed by means of a patch test, a scratch test, or an intracutaneous injection of an allergen or extract of a disease-causing organism.

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The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: any test to determine immunity or sensitivity to a disease by introducing small amounts on or into the skin

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