Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect DNA of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in 38 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from 22 patients (7 children and 15 adults) 1-20 days after the onset of encephalitis. The results were best with amplification on the pellet of the CSF-extracted DNA and with analysis of the amplified products by dot-blotting (sensitivity, 100%). A highly significant difference was evident in the chi 2 test when PCR was compared with specific antigen detection or antibody evaluation (n = 19; chi 2 = 7; sensitivity = 100% vs. 63%) or with interferon alpha determination (n = 20; chi 2 = 11; sensitivity = 95% vs. 42%). PCR was positive as early as 1 day after onset of disease and was often the first test to become positive. The detection of HSV DNA by PCR is the most specific, rapid, and sensitive tool for early diagnosis and therapeutic management of acute HSV encephalitis.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Animals
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Antibodies, Viral / blood
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Antibodies, Viral / cerebrospinal fluid
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Antigens, Viral / cerebrospinal fluid
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Base Sequence
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Cattle
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Cell Line
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Central Nervous System Diseases / cerebrospinal fluid
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Cerebrospinal Fluid / chemistry
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Cerebrospinal Fluid / microbiology
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Child
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Child, Preschool
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DNA Probes
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DNA, Viral / cerebrospinal fluid*
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Encephalitis / cerebrospinal fluid
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Encephalitis / diagnosis*
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Encephalitis / microbiology
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Genes, pol
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Herpes Simplex / cerebrospinal fluid
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Herpes Simplex / diagnosis*
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Herpes Simplex / microbiology
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Humans
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Infant
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Interferon-alpha / biosynthesis
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Interferon-alpha / blood
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Interferon-alpha / cerebrospinal fluid
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Middle Aged
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Polymerase Chain Reaction*
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Sensitivity and Specificity
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Simplexvirus / genetics
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Simplexvirus / immunology
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Simplexvirus / isolation & purification*
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Time Factors
Substances
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Antibodies, Viral
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Antigens, Viral
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DNA Probes
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DNA, Viral
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Interferon-alpha