Evaluation of a HSV specific monoclonal antibody reagent for laboratory diagnosis of herpes simplex virus infection.

A new FITC-conjugated HSV specific monoclonal antibody reagent (Syva Co., Palo Alto, Ca) was evaluated for the confirmation of HSV clinical isolates. The reagent was also compared to type-specific monoclonal antibodies for the pre-CPE detection of HSV from clinical specimens in centrifugation culture and by direct examination of specimens smears by direct immunofluorescent antibody staining (DFA). HSV was isolated from 75 of 232 specimens (32%). All 75 isolates were confirmed with both the type-specific antibodies and the HSV-specific reagent. In centrifugation culture HSV was detected in 36 of 105 (34%) specimens. The HSV specific reagent detected all 36 specimens that were positive with the type-specific reagents. HSV infection was diagnosed by DFA in 31 of 50 (62%) specimen smears. The HSV-specific reagent detected all 31 positive specimens. This reagent confirmed and detected all HSV positive specimens that were positive by the type-specific monoclonal antibody reagents. The reagent contains monoclonal antibodies specific for both HSV1 and HSV2 in a single mixture, which produces a highly sensitive HSV FA staining reagent.