Comparison of virus culture and direct immunofluorescent staining of cytocentrifuged virus transport medium for detection of varicella-zoster virus in skin lesions.
Direct immunofluorescent staining of centrifuged viral transport medium (CVTM) was compared with conventional cell culture for the detection of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in 87 dermal lesions from 84 patients. A total of 21 (24%) were positive for VZV; 8 (38%) of these were positive by culture and CVTM, 13 (62%) by CVTM alone, and none by culture only. Virus cultures were positive for VZV in an average of 9.1 days (range, 4-20 days). CVTM, using cytocentrifugation, is more sensitive and rapid than conventional cell culture for the detection of VZV in cutaneous specimens.
McCarter
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Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut 06102-5037, USA.
Ratkiewicz
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IN
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002498:Centrifugation; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned