title: Detection of herpes simplex virus type 1 shedding in the oral cavity by polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the prodromal stage of recrudescent herpes labialis.
abstract: Recrudescent herpes labialis (RHL) is a disease caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), predominantly type 1 (HSV-1). We have monitored HSV-1 shedding in the oral cavity by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) using digoxigenin-labeled primers designed to amplify a 278 bp segment of the HSV-1 UL 42 region. Prodromal RHL was confirmed by thermographic imaging in 22 patients. Infectious virus was not detected using tissue culture for virus isolation (0/22). Using PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis, we could detect HSV-1 DNA in 8/22 patients. Using a biotinylated-probe internal to the predicted sequence of the PCR product, HSV-1 DNA was detected in 10/22 patients by ELISA. We conclude that HSV-1 DNA is shed into the oral cavity of patients presenting with sub-clinical RHL and that the PCR-ELISA technique represents a more sensitive method to monitor HSV-1 shedding than conventional tissue culturing or PCR-electrophoresis alone.
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Dentistry, Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Coulter
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Biagioni
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lamey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013817:Thermography; D017201:Virus Shedding