[Determination of six major human herpes viruses in cerebrospinal fluid and blood of children with consensus primers].
To identify 6 major human herpesviruses with consensus primers and to explore its clinical application.



Based on the highly-homogeneous regions of DNA polymerase gene in human herpesviruses,Two pairs of primer were synthesized. One pair was designed to amplify herpes simplex virus type 1, type 2, Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus; and another was used to amplify varicella-zoster virus or human herpesvirus 6. Virus species identification was performed by restriction enzyme digestion with BamH I and BstU I. Thirty-eight CSF specimens of clinically diagnosed viral encephalitis,and 49 blood specimens from 27 confirmed cases and 22 clinically diagnosed ones were tested for herpes virus DNA using the PCR-RFLP assay with these primers.



Thirteen out of 38 CSF specimens (34.2%) were herpes virus positive. All blood specimens from 27 confirmed cases showed positive results, while for 22 clinically diagnosed cases 16 (72.7%) were positive. The types of herpes virus were determined using restriction enzyme digestion with BamH I and BstU I. Two CSF specimens from the patients, who were treated with aciclovir for 2 - 3 days, were still positive for herpes virus DNA by this method. None of the control blood or CSF controls were positive for herpesvirus by PCR.



The PCR-RFLP method used in this study is a specific, sensitive and practicable one for diagnosis of herpes virus infection.
Dong
Guan-ping
GP
The Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Shang
Shi-qiang
SQ
Yu
Zhong-sheng
ZS
Liang
Li
L
Yu
Xi-lin
XL
D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000821:virology; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral