Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunoassay employing a covalently bound capture antibody for direct detection of herpes simplex virus.

The FDL enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Fairleigh Dickinson Laboratories, Inc., Abilene, Tex.) for the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) makes use of a covalently attached antibody. This assay was compared with viral isolation and with the Ortho HSV Antigen Detection ELISA (Ortho Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Raritan, N.J.). One hundred forty-eight specimens were tested. The FDL ELISA identified 66 of 104 specimens from which HSV was isolated, yielding a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 95%. These results compared favorably with those obtained by using the Ortho ELISA. The total test time was shorter and the washing step was simpler than that with the Ortho assay, making the FDL assay an attractive alternative to similar methodologies.