Detection of herpes simplex virus type 2-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in African sera by using recombinant gG2, Western blotting, and gG2 inhibition

J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Oct;40(10):3635-40. doi: 10.1128/JCM.40.10.3635-3640.2002.

Abstract

Sera (n = 781) from four African countries were used to determine the prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) antibodies by using the HerpeSelect HSV-2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Focus Technologies) and Western blotting (WB). Also, an HSV inhibition assay was developed to evaluate the discordant sample results between HerpesSelect and WB. The seroprevalence of HSV-2 ranged from 17% in the South African panel to nearly 70% in panels from Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Overall, HerpeSelect was 100% sensitive and 88% specific compared to WB and 100% sensitive and 96% specific compared to the inhibition assay. There was 100% concordance among all three assays for samples from South Africa and Zimbabwe. The discordant results occurred in samples from Kenya and Uganda.

MeSH terms

  • Africa / epidemiology
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Herpes Simplex / epidemiology
  • Herpes Simplex / virology*
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / classification
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Serotyping

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Recombinant Proteins