Microcarriers in combination with enzyme immunofiltration and immunofluroescence for the detection of herpes simplex virus antigens in culture.

A microcarrier culture system in combination with enzyme immunofiltration with a herpes simplex virus (HSV) group monoclonal antibody was found to be as sensitive as immunofluorescence for the detection of HSV type 1 (HSV-1) in cell cultures and to give specific identification at the same time as the appearance of the cytopathic effect with very high infectious inocula and within 10 to 24 h of the appearance of the cytopathic effect with very high infectious inocula and within 10 to 24 h of the appearance of the cytopathic effect with low to high inocula. Multiplicities of infection from 10(-5) to 10(1) were tested at 8 to 96 h postinfection. When applied to the identification of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in cultures of clinical samples, the system detected HSV antigens in 50% of the samples after 2 days and in 100% of the samples after 3 days. With 2 ml of microcarrier suspension and with 50 to 300 microliter per sample, several portions are available for replicate and sequential sampling without destroying the culture. The system requires only that 2 X 10(5) microcarriers be added to the culture tube at the time or before it is seeded with cells, at an extra cost of 6 cents (U.S.) per tube and little extra labor.