title: Detection of herpes simplex virus by biotinylated DNA probes.
abstract: Clinical specimens from 159 patients suspected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) were examined by monoclonal antibody immunofluorescence (IF) and by a commercial biotinylated DNA probe kit following cell culture isolation. Herpes simplex virus was isolated from 57 samples. All cultures were positive by IF when the cytopathic effect (CPE) was less than 1+ but only 49 (86%) yielded positive reaction with the DNA probe when CPE was at least 1+. A total of 54 clinical specimens was also examined directly by immunoperoxidase histopathology (IHP), IF, and DNA hybridization. Of these, 16 were positive by IHP, 15 by IF, and only five by DNA probe. The DNA probe kit was found to be reasonably sensitive only after cell culture isolation of HSV. Compared to the IF procedure, the DNA probe kit was found to be costly, labor intensive, and time consuming.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Qadri
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Qadri
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McGarry
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Al-Ahdal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D015342:DNA Probes; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic