T cell immunity to herpes simplex viruses in seronegative subjects: silent infection or acquired immunity?

During the course of investigating T cell responses to HSV among volunteers entering trials of investigational genital herpes vaccines, 6 of the 24 immunocompetent subjects with no prior history of oral/labial or genital herpes possessed HSV-specific T cell immunity but, by multiple determinants of even the most sensitive serological assays, remained seronegative to HSV-1 and -2. Of these six immune seronegative (IS; HSV-seronegative with HSV-specific T cell responses) subjects, two had transient HSV-specific T cell responses, while four had CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses directed at HSV that persisted for up to 4 years. CD4(+) T cell clones were isolated that recognized and had high binding affinities to epitopes in HSV-2 tegument proteins.

Longitudinal reliability of focus glycoprotein G-based type-specific enzyme immunoassays for detection of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in women.

Serologic assays that utilize herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-specific glycoproteins G-1 (HSV-1) and G-2 (HSV-2) to discriminate between antibodies against HSV-1 and HSV-2 are sensitive and specific. However, the high rates of seroreversion, defined as the change in an individual's antibody status from positive to negative over time, previously reported in longitudinal evaluations of glycoprotein G type-specific tests suggests that their use in HSV acquisitional studies would be problematic. To further explore the reliability of the glycoprotein G-based serologic tests, we evaluated HSV-1 and HSV-2 enzyme immunoassays from Focus Technologies in a longitudinal cohort of 1207 young women from Pittsburgh, Pa.

Association between cervical shedding of herpes simplex virus and HIV-1.

Objective: To investigate the association between the cervical shedding of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and HIV-1.

Design: A cross-sectional study on 200 women seropositive for both HSV-2 and HIV-1 was conducted in a family planning clinic at the Coast Provincial General Hospital, Mombasa, Kenya.

Main Outcome Measures: Quantities of HSV DNA (types 1 and 2) and HIV-1 RNA as well as the presence or absence of HIV-1 proviral DNA in cervical secretions were determined and compared.

Performance of two commercial glycoprotein G-based enzyme immunoassays for detecting antibodies to herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 in children and young adolescents.

In 61 patients 1 to 14 years of age, the Gull/Meridian enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) had a sensitivity of 100% for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and specificities of 74% for HSV-1 and 48% for HSV-2. In 128 similarly aged patients, the HerpeSelect ELISA (Focus Technologies) showed sensitivities of 80% for HSV-1 and 88% for HSV-2, and specificities of 97% for HSV-1 and 100% for HSV-2.

Markers of viral infection in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

To estimate the prevalence of viruses associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and to control for genetic and environmental factors, we conducted a co-twin control study of 22 monozygotic twin pairs, of which one twin met criteria for CFS and the other twin was healthy. Levels of antibodies to human herpesvirus (HHV)-8, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, and hepatitis C virus were measured. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for viral DNA were performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens to detect infection with HHV-6, HHV-7, HHV-8, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, JC virus, BK virus, and parvovirus B19.

Performance and use of HSV type-specific serology test kits.

Herpes simplex virus type-specific serology tests based on glycoprotein gG-1 and/or gG-2 are important diagnostic tools to establish aetiology of genital symptoms and identify patients with unrecognized genital herpes. Clinicians can now select from three very different Food and Drug Administration-licensed kits. Diagnology's POCkittrade mark HSV-2 is a point of care test for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) antibodies.

A prospective study of hormonal contraceptive use and cervical shedding of herpes simplex virus in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-seropositive women.

Cross-sectional analyses have demonstrated an association between use of hormonal contraceptives and shedding of herpes simplex virus (HSV). This prospective study evaluated the effect of initiating use of hormonal contraception on cervical HSV detection. Two hundred women who were seropositive for HSV-2 and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 were examined for cervical mucosal HSV by use of quantitative DNA polymerase chain reaction before and after beginning the use of hormonal contraceptives.

A systematic study of Epstein-Barr virus serologic assays following acute infection.

We determined the presence of IgG and IgM antibody to viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgG, VCA-IgM) and IgG antibody to the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) during the acute illness and at 1, 2, 6, and 48 months in a prospective population-based case series of 95 persons with an acute illness serologically confirmed as Epstein-Barr virus infection. The acute illness was characterized by the presence of VCA-IgG and VCA-IgM (by ELISA) and by the absence of EBNA in most, but not all, patients. During follow-up, VCA-IgG antibodies remained detectable in all patients, while the proportion with VCA-IgM declined and the number with detectable EBNA antibodies steadily increased.