Whole cell lysate enzyme immunoassays vs. recombinant glycoprotein G2-based immunoassays for HSV-2 seroprevalence studies.
Seroepidemiology studies of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections have been difficult to carry out because antibodies to HSV type 1 (HSV-1) show an extensive cross-reactivity with HSV-2 antigens. Many kits available currently are not entirely type specific for serodiagnosis of HSV-2 infections and therefore do not allow reliable discrimination of past exposure to these closely related alphaherpes viruses. Attempts to develop type-specific antigens have focused on the envelope glycoproteins, particularly glycoprotein G (gG). A cross-sectional study was carried out to examine the seroprevalence of antibodies to HSV-2 among healthy university students, using different methods: a whole cell lysate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), two different ELISAs, and a newly developed immunoblot assay, the last three based on recombinant gG2. HSV-2 prevalence was 24 times higher with the whole cell lysate ELISA (31%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 27-35%) than the ELISAs and the immunoblot assay based on recombinant gG2 (1.3%; 95% CI: 0.1-2.5%), thus showing the inaccuracy of commercial tests based on whole-antigen preparations for epidemiological studies. Laboratories should be cautious and ensure that commercial tests for HSV typing are based on type-specific glycoproteins.
García-Corbeira
P
P
Medical Department, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Madrid, Spain.
Hogrefe
W
W
Aguilar
L
L
García-de-Lomas
J
J
Gil
A
A
Bayas
J M
JM
Vilella
A
A
Dal-Ré
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C045464:glycoprotein G, herpes simplex virus type 2