Abstract
Since the type of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection affects prognosis and subsequent counseling, type-specific testing to distinguish HSV-1 from HSV-2 is always recommended. Although PCR has been the diagnostic standard method for HSV infections of the central nervous system, until now viral culture has been the test of choice for HSV genital infection. However, HSV PCR, with its consistently and substantially higher rate of HSV detection, could replace viral culture as the gold standard for the diagnosis of genital herpes in people with active mucocutaneous lesions, regardless of anatomic location or viral type. Alternatively, antigen detection—an immunofluorescence test or enzyme immunoassay from samples from symptomatic patients--could be employed, but HSV type determination is of importance. Type-specific serology based on glycoprotein G should be used for detecting asymptomatic individuals but widespread screening for HSV antibodies is not recommended. In conclusion, rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis of HSV is now become a necessity, given the difficulty in making the clinical diagnosis of HSV, the growing worldwide prevalence of genital herpes and the availability of effective antiviral therapy.
Highlights
Key structure elements for diagnosis Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are large double-stranded DNA viruses of the Herpetoviridae family, alphaherpetovirinae sub-family [1]
herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2) genomes each encode at least 80 different structural and non-structural polypeptides including at least 10 different viral glycoproteins of which most are embedded in the viral envelope [1]
Viral antigen can be detected by direct immunofluorescence (IF) assay using fluorescein-labelled typespecific monoclonal antibodies on smears, or by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) on swabs
Summary
Key structure elements for diagnosis Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are large double-stranded DNA viruses of the Herpetoviridae family, alphaherpetovirinae sub-family [1]. Laboratory methods for direct herpes diagnosis Collection, transport and storage of clinical specimens for herpes diagnosis HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be recovered by swabbing mucocutaneous genital lesions and from previously involved. HSV DNA detection based on nucleic acid amplification, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in particular, has emerged as an alternative method because it is about four times more sensitive, less dependent on collection and transport conditions, and faster than viral culture [26]. Test tubes containing clinical material should be transported to the laboratory accompanied by the relevant documentation including the investigation method requested. Virus titers are remarkably reduced in frozen and thawed samples, and freezing at -20°C is not advised [25]
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