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New Tools for the Herpes Virologist

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Johan Harmenberg ,
Barbro Levén ,
Jorma Hinkula ,
Eva Ohlsson ,
Vivi-Anne Sundqvist  and
Britta Wahren
Johan Harmenberg
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
Barbro Levén
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
Jorma Hinkula
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
Eva Ohlsson
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
Vivi-Anne Sundqvist
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
Britta Wahren
Affiliation:
National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm
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Extract

Herpes viruses are responsible for a wide spectrum of infections ranging from cold sores, genital herpes, and chicken pox to disseminated herpes infections in normal and more commonly in immunocompromised patients. Symptoms range from mildly distressing and uncomfortable to severe and life-threatening. The sophistication of virological methods is increasing. Specific types, classes, and subclasses of antibodies to viruses can now be determined, as well as the reactivity of T-lymphocytes. It is possible to detect herpes virus type-specific antibodies (to HSV-l or HSV-2) in a blood sample using the simple and inexpensive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The virus is usually type-determined rapidly and currently susceptibility or resistance to antiviral compounds can be defined in vitro. Such assays of antiviral resistance have been shown to be quick and effective. Effective antiviral therapies have been developed against a number of viral diseases. The concomitant need for isolation and evaluation of resistance patterns of herpes virus against different antiviral compounds appears to be of considerable importance. Pure clinical observations are no longer sufficient to distinguish the types, since HSV-l may be present in the genital region and HSV-2 at upper parts of the body–contrary to common belief.

Type
Emerging Technology
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 4 , Issue 4 , October 1988 , pp. 634 - 636
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

REFERENCES

1. De Clercq, E. The chemotherapy of herpes virus infections with reference to bromovinyldeoxyuridine and other antiviral compounds. In Stuart-Harris, C. & Oxford, J. (eds.), Problems of antiviral therapy, New York: Academic Press, 1983, 295–316.Google Scholar
2. Harmenberg, J., Sundqvist, V.-A., Gadler, H., Levén, B., Brännström, G., & Wahren, B.Comparative methods for detection of thymidine kinase-deficient herpes simplex virus type I strains. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1986, 30, 570–73.Google Scholar
3. Wahren, B., Wahren, P., Harmenberg, J., & Sundqvist, V.-A.Computer-based virus sensitivity assay and neutralization method. Applications for herpes viruses. Journal of Virological Methods, 1983, 6, 271–82.Google Scholar