title: Evaluation of the Cepheid herpes simplex virus typing real-time PCR assay using dermal and genital specimens.
abstract: The Cepheid herpes simplex virus (HSV) (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) typing multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was evaluated for its ability to detect HSV in dermal and genital specimens stored in M5 media. Swab specimens (n = 114) for HSV testing were placed in M5 media and split between our laboratory and a highly experienced reference laboratory. Aliquots for testing with the Cepheid assay were processed using a simple boil-and-go procedure and then run in a SmartCycler II (Cepheid). Aliquots tested at the reference laboratory were processed using a MagNA Pure LC DNA extractor (Roche Molecular Systems, Alameda, CA) and tested by the Roche HSV real-time PCR assay. Both laboratories detected 35 positives. Of the positive specimens, the Cepheid assay typed 16 as HSV 1 and 19 as HSV 2; the reference laboratory typed 15 as HSV 1, 19 as HSV 2, and 1 as HSV indeterminate. Our results demonstrate that the Cepheid real-time PCR assay, using specimens subjected to minimal specimen processing, performed as well as the Roche real-time PCR assay, using DNA extracts, for the detection of HSV DNA in genital and dermal specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, WI 53188, USA. raymond.podzorski@phci.org
authors.forename: Raymond P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Podzorski
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000821:virology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media