Laboratory diagnosis of herpes simplex

• Published in: Clinical microbiology newsletter Vol. 5; no. 4; pp. 21 - 23
• Main Author: Mayo, Donald R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 15.02.1983
• ISSN: 0196-4399; 1873-4391
• DOI: 10.1016/S0196-4399(83)80101-9

Isolation and identification of HSV types are becoming increasingly important for oral and genital infections and are necessary for effective management of HSV encephalitis, neonatal infection, and infections in immunosuppressed patients. Herpes viruses are the most frequently isolated viruses in most clinical virology laboratories. Therefore the use of RK cells is recommended for several reasons: 1) they are commercially available and can be maintained for 2 to 3 weeks; 2) they will decrease the incidence of false-negative results which may exceed 15%; 3) they will decrease the time to virus isolation and the reporting of results; and 4) laboratory time to virus identification will be lessened because HSV strains are the only human viruses that will cause the characteristic rounding and rapid development of cytopathic effects typical of herpes viruses in RK cells. The two easiest methods for typing HSV isolates are the selective cell culture system and the BVDU sensitivity assay. Clear cut results are obtained with either system.