Evaluation of a test based on baculovirus-expressed glycoprotein G for detection of herpes simplex virus type-specific antibodies.
An immunoblot assay for discrimination of antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 was devised using extracts of recombinant-baculovirus-infected insect cells expressing HSV-1 or -2 glycoprotein G (gG1 or gG2). The assay was evaluated by comparing its results with those obtained by using an immunodot assay based on gG immunopurified from HSV-1- and HSV-2-infected cells. Each of 110 human serum specimens was tested blindly and independently three times. At a serum dilution of 1:20, the maximum specificities were 96% and 100% and the maximum sensitivities were 100% and 92% for gG1 and gG2, respectively. Reproducibility was 99% among readers and 95% among individually tested samples of each specimen. Results obtained in two laboratories from a different set of 15 serum specimens were in complete agreement, indicating the assay is accurate and reproducible. The ease of antigen production should allow the test to become widely available.
Sánchez-Martínez
D
D
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
Schmid
D S
DS
Whittington
W
W
Brown
D
D
Reeves
W C
WC
Chatterjee
S
S
Whitley
R J
RJ
Pellett
P E
PE
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C045464:glycoprotein G, herpes simplex virus type 2; C050591:glycoprotein gG-1, herpes simplex virus type 1