A BLINDED COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS OF VIRAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING - PLAQUE REDUCTION ASSAY VERSUS MICROPLATE IN-SITU ELISA

Viral susceptibility testing has been shown to have a role in the mana gement of patients with herpes simplex infections. In this study; 25 i solates of herpes simplex virus representing a broad spectrum of acycl ovir-susceptible and -resistant phenotypes were tested using a micropl ate in situ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MISE). This method is o bjective and more rapid than the traditional plaque reduction assay (P RA). The previously derived PRA results were not known at the time of testing with the MISE method. The correlation coefficient between PRA and MISE was 0.85. Agreement on sensitive or resistant was reached for 21 of 25 isolates. The standardised microplate in situ ELISA was foun d to be an acceptable alternative to the plaque reduction assay.