Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Virus1 and 2 in Clinical Specimens by Tissue Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1,2 are ubiquitous, enveloped and double stranded DNA viruses, which belong to the family of herpesviridae that consist of more than 80 distinct types of viruses that are found in nearly all kind of animals. The life cycle of all herpesviruses in their natural host can be divided into lytic (resulting in the production of infectious progeny) and latent (dormant) infections. During a lytic infection the virus is replicated and newly synthesized particles are released into the surrounding medium. During a latent infection viral replication is suppressed, resulting in the formation of a quiescent state. The establishment of viral latency is a hallmark of all known herpesviruses. Symptomatic disease caused by HSV-1 is typically limited to cold sores of the mouth and keratitis in the eyes. HSV-2, in contrast, is mostly responsible for genital lesions. However, both viruses are capable of causing lesions on same body sites and both can cause life- threatening diseases in immunocompromised individuals including newborns, patients with human immunodeficiency virus or patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment.