Typing of Herpesvirus hominis Strains by a Direct Immunofluorescent Technique 1

Summary

A direct immunofluorescent (FA) test was used to facilitate typing of Herpesvirus hominis (HVH) strains. Using specific dilutions of fluorescein-conjugated rabbit anti-type 1 and anti-type 2 sera, HVH strains grown in HEp-2 cells could be typed as 1 if they reacted with both conjugated sera and as type 2 if they reacted only with anti-type 2 sera. In addition, a difference in staining between type 1 and type 2 infected cells was observed: type 1 infected cells showed perinuclear staining and fluorescent granules with either conjugated serum; type 2 infected cells showed no coarse granules and had both perinuclear and nuclear staining.

There was total agreement between results using the FA technique and those obtained previously by a mieroneutralization (MN) test in the typing of 95 HVH isolates. When an additional 96 HVH isolates were tested by the FA technique only, the type found correlated well with site of isolation. Current experience with 322 HVH isolates typed by the MN test only, FA test only or by both tests provides further perspective on the relation between HVH type, site of isolation, clinical manifestation, and age of the infected individual.