Evaluation of biotin-streptavidin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of genital herpes simplex virus infection.

Abstract

A biotin-streptavidin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (B-SA ELISA) was evaluated for detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in clinical specimens which were cervico-vaginal swabs from 205 asymptomatic women and swabs from the genital lesions of 163 suspected patients. All specimens were also subjected to a conventional virus isolation in cell culture. A blocking B-SA ELISA had 100% specificity and 98% sensitivity compared with viral isolation from patients, but had only 40% sensitivity using specimens from asymptomatics. The conventional B-SA ELISA might also be used; it gave results corresponding to B-SA ELISA blocking test except for a single specimen which was considered a false positive.