title: Rapid and direct detection of herpes simplex virus in cerebrospinal fluid by use of a commercial real-time PCR assay.
abstract: Central nervous system infection due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a medical emergency and requires rapid diagnosis and initiation of therapy. In this study, we compared a routine real-time PCR assay for HSV types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) to a recently FDA-approved direct PCR assay (Simplexa HSV-1/2 Direct; Focus Diagnostics, Cypress, CA) using cerebrospinal fluid samples (n = 100). The Simplexa HSV-1/2 assays demonstrated a combined sensitivity and specificity of 96.2% (50/52) and 97.9% (47/48), respectively. In addition, the Simplexa assay does not require nucleic acid extraction, and the results are available in 60 min.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA binnicker.matthew@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Binnicker
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Espy
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Cole L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Irish
mesh_terms: D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods