Jjl. Jacobs et al., Detection of varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus by the polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers, J VIROL MET, 83(1-2), 1999, pp. 155-167
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are human patho
gens of significance involved in multiple diseases with either typical or a
typical clinical features. In neonates and immunocompromised patients these
alphaherpesviruses may cause life-threatening diseases such as encephaliti
s. Detection of VZV by virus culture is difficult. Polymerase chain reactio
n (PCR) is quicker and more sensitive and applicable in most clinical micro
biological laboratories. Using degenerate primers, glycoprotein B (gB) DNA
was amplified from all alphaherpesvirus field strains present in clinical s
amples. The amplification of gB allowed virus typing of VZV, HSV-1 and HSV-
2 using restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR products. Degenerate primer
s can replace conventional primers in diagnostic PCR without loss of sensit
ivity and specificity. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.