RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF VIRAL PATHOGENS

With increasing numbers of specific antiviral agents available, rapid diagosis of viral diseases has become increasingly important. The dete ction of viral antigens directly in specimens and centrifugation-enhan ced cell culture combined with pre-CPE has dramatically reduced the ti me required for viral diagnosis. Detection methods based on nucleic ac id probes and amplification techniques have recently been developed an d will become more important. In this article, the authors examine the general methods and some specific applications of rapid methods for v iral diagnosis currently in use in the clinical virology laboratory.