IgG, IgA and IgM antibody responses in patients with acute genital and non-genital herpetic lesions determined by the indirect fluorescent antibody method.

A total of 112 cases from 12 cases of non-genital herpes simplex, 13 cases of herpes genitalis and 60 selected controls was titrated by the indirect fluorescent antibody method for IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2. Mean titres of IgA against HSV type 1 were 6-8 times higher in patients with acute and recent non-genital herpes simplex than the mean titres of the controls, while the corresponding mean titres were only slightly elevated in patients with herpes genitalis. In this latter group of patients IgA antibody titres to HSV type 2 were 4 times higher than the control titres. IgM antibody titres were not elevated in patients with non-genital herpes simplex, but in patients with herpes genitalis IgM antibodies to HSV type 2 increased to 4 times the normal values 2-4 weeks after infection. Measurement of serum IgA antibodies to HSV types 1 and 2 might be an important diagnostic tool in acute and recent HSV infections.