Enhanced detection of herpes simplex virus from ocular specimens of herpetic keratitis patients.

Corneal scrapings collected from 70 patients were used to assess the diagnostic value of indirect immunofluorescence (indirect IF) procedure in comparison with routine virus culture (RVC) for the diagnosis of Herpes simplex virus induced keratitis (HSK). Virus specific antigen was detected by indirect IF in 22 (31.42%) cases. In contrast, only 20% (14) of the cases had positive viral isolation which sometimes took as long as a week to show a cytopathogenic effect (CPE). It is concluded that antigen detection by indirect IF is a rapid, specific and sensitive technique for demonstrating HSV-1 antigen in corneal scrapings from HSK patients and a useful laboratory tool not only for diagnosing HSK but also for monitoring efficiency of anti HSV treatment for HSK.