title: Detection of herpes simplex virus type 1 in herpetic ocular diseases by DNA-DNA hybridization using a biotinylated DNA probe.
abstract: A diagnostic hybridization assay for detecting herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in ocular specimens was developed using cloned viral DNA as a probe. This hybridization assay is based on visualizing a biotinylated probe that is hybridized to the target DNA by a streptavidin/alkaline phosphatase system. The time required for performing this assay system is only two days. This assay system could detect a probe which had been hybridized to as little as 1 pg of homologous DNA and did not cross-react with DNA of other human herpes viruses except that of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) which showed weak cross-reactivity. The assay system was applied to experimental keratitis in albino rabbits and clinical specimens. In experimental keratitis in rabbits it was possible to detect HSV-1 DNA in the eye swab samples at least until the ninth day after virus inoculation. Five clinical specimens collected from patients with corneal ulcer or blepharitis contained HSV-1 DNA in spite of the failure of demonstration of viral antigen and/or virus isolation in two cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nago
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niwayama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007635:Keratitis, Dendritic / Q000382:microbiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011817:Rabbits; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral