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1: Ophthalmology. 1989 Nov;96(11):1583-6.Links
Comment in:
Ophthalmology. 1990 Jun;97(6):694-5.

Evaluation of immunologic tests for the detection of ocular herpes simplex virus.

Kowalski RP, Gordon YJ.

Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Eye and Ear Institute of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Four immunologic tests, Herpchek (HC), latex agglutination (AGG), enzyme immunofiltration (IF), and 1 hour enzyme-linked immunoassay (1EIA), were evaluated for detecting herpes simplex virus (HSV) from ocular specimens. Compared with the standard of HSV-positive cell cultures, 24 (65%) of 37 positive HC tests and 22 (59%) of 37 positive IF tests were significantly more sensitive (P less than 0.0005) than the AGG (3%, 1/37) and 1EIA (26%, 1/34) tests. The HC and IF tests were 100% specific, and easy to interpret. In addition, the clinical diagnosis of HSV infection after a thorough ophthalmologic examination was as sensitive (59%, 22/37) (P = 0.4) as any of the immunologic tests. In conclusion, for definitive diagnosis of HSV, the HC test seems more suitable for a central laboratory that handles a large number of viral specimens, and processes HC-negative tests with follow-up cell culture isolation. The enzyme immunofiltration test seems more suitable for a low-volume viral laboratory which confirms all IF test samples with follow-up cell culture isolation.

PMID: 2559384 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]