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Plasma can be used
for the detection of HSV-2 antibodies by the HerpeSelect 2 ELISA
assay.
Plasma versus serum
for detection of herpes simplex virus type 2-specific immunoglobulin
G antibodies with a glycoprotein G2-based enzyme immunoassay.
Cherpes TL, Meyn LA, Hillier SL.
Journal of Clinical
Microbiology 2003;41:2758-2759.
Summary:
Question
Is plasma an acceptable specimen for the detection of type-specific HSV-2
antibodies?
Design
This study describes a blinded comparison of the results of the
HerpeSelect 2 assay performed on concurrently obtained plasma and sera
from a cohort of young, sexually active women.
Participants
Concurrent serum and plasma samples were collected from 710 women between
15 and 30 years old enrolled in a study of the risk factors associated
with pelvic inflammatory disease conducted at the Allegheny County Health
Department's STD Clinic, the Magee-Women's Hospital Ambulatory Care
Clinic, and the Family Health Council Clinic of Aliquippa. All women had
purulent cervical discharge, untreated gonococcal or chlamydial infection,
bacterial vaginosis, or sexual contact with a male diagnosed with
urethritis.
Description of Tests and Diagnostic
Standard
Sera and plasma were frozen until HSV-2 antibody testing was performed.
HerpeSelect 2 ELISA (Focus Technologies, Cypress, CA) was used to detect
HSV-2 glycoprotein G antibodies in serum and plasma. One specimen type was
tested per kit. Index values greater than 1.10 were positive, less than
0.90 were negative, and results in between were equivocal. Samples with
equivocal results were retested and the final result was equivocal if the
repeat index value was between 0.90 and 1.10.
Main Outcome Measures
The concordance between the results of the serum and plasma samples was
determined.
Main Results
The results of the HerpeSelect 2 ELISA assay performed on both serum and
plasma from 710 women are shown in the table. There was 98.9% agreement
between the two specimen types (Pearson correlation coefficient = -.974; P
< 0.001). The median index values for HSV-2 positive serum and plasma
samples were 7.55 and 7.37, respectively.
Authors' Conclusions
The results obtained from plasma using the
HerpeSelect 2 ELISA are comparable to those found in concurrently obtained
sera.
Source of funding: Grants from the
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of
Health.
For correspondence: Thomas L. Cherpes,
Magee-Women's Research Institute, Room 540, 204 Craft Ave., Pittsburgh, PA
15213. E-mail address: rsitc@mail.magee.edu.
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