MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY BLOCKING TESTS FOR THE DETECTION OF HSV-1-SPECIFIC AND HSV-2-SPECIFIC HUMORAL RESPONSES - COMPARISON WITH WESTERN-BLOT ASSAY

Monoclonal antibody blocking radioimmunoassays (MAb block RIAs) which detect specific humoral responses to each of the two human herpes simp lex virus (HSV) types are described. RIAs were compared with Western b lot assay (WBA) in a blind study of 64 sera obtained from clinically w ell-documented cases of genital herpes. WBA and MAb block RIA each det ected HSV-1 antibodies in 16/17 (94%) sera from confirmed HSV-I genita l infections (first episodes and recurrent infections). Detection of H SV-2 antibody in 21 sera from HSV-2 first episodes was more effective by WBA which identified homologous antibody in 19 (96%), whereas MAb b lock RIA detected HSV-2 antibody in 16 (76%). HSV-2 antibody was detec ted in 24/25 (96%) sera from recurrent HSV-2 infections by WBA and by MAb block RIA, the highest degree of concordance for both methods. In addition, the MAb block RIA may be more effective in detecting the pre sence of HSV-1 antibody in sera from recurrent HSV-2 cases. Prevalence of HSV-I and HSV-2 antibody was measured by the MAb block RIAs in 3 U K human study populations which consisted of 100 children/young adoles cents, 104 adult blood donors and 80 genito-urinary medicine clinic at tenders.