Comparison of three monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassays for detection of herpes simplex virus in clinical specimens

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases 1995-04, Vol.14 (4), p.314-317
• Main Authors: BRINKER, J. P, HERRMANN, J. E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigens, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Culture Media; Herpes Simplex - diagnosis; Herpes Simplex - immunology; herpes simplex virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Sensitivity and Specificity; Simplexvirus - immunology; Simplexvirus - isolation & purification; Specimen Handling; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02116524

Three commercial monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassays (Herpchek, IDEIA HSV and SureCell HSV) for detection of herpes simplex virus antigen were compared with isolation of virus in cell cultures. A total of 51 culture positive and 49 culture negative consecutively collected specimens that had been stored at -70 degrees C for a period of up to ten months were used in the study. Herpchek, IDEIA HSV and SureCell HSV assays gave a sensitivity of 88.2%, 82.4% and 47.1% respectively, and a specificity of 95.9%, 93.9% and 83.7% respectively compared to cell culture. A blocking antibody test showed that two culture negative specimens contained herpes simplex virus-specific antigens. If these two specimens were considered to be true positive, Herpchek, IDEIA HSV and SureCell HSV assays had a sensitivity of 88.7%, 83.0% and 47.2%, and a specificity of 100%, 97.9% and 85.1% respectively. The positive predictive value (using the resolved sample results) for Herpchek, IDEIA HSV and SureCell HSV was 100%, 97.8% and 78.1% respectively, and the negative predictive value 88.7%, 83.6% and 58.8% respectively. These results demonstrated that Herpchek and IDEIA HSV are sensitive and highly specific assays. Results could be obtained in less than five hours after receipt of specimens. SureCell HSV gave results in 15 minutes, but both the sensitivity and specificity were too low for this test to be considered as a substitute for culture.