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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2002, p. 1728-1732, Vol. 40, No. 5
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.5.1728-1732.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Utility of a Multiplex PCR Assay for Detecting Herpesvirus DNA in Clinical Samples

Julian Druce, Mike Catton, Doris Chibo, Kirsty Minerds, David Tyssen, Renata Kostecki, Bill Maskill, Wendy Leong-Shaw, Marie Gerrard, and Chris Birch*

Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL), North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Received 31 October 2001/ Returned for modification 24 December 2001/ Accepted 23 February 2002

A multiplex PCR was designed to amplify herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, cytomegalovirus, and varicella-zoster virus DNA present in a diverse range of clinical material. The susceptibility of these viruses to in vivo inhibition by at least one antiviral drug was an important consideration in their inclusion in the multiplex detection system. An aliquot of equine herpesvirus was introduced into each specimen prior to extraction and served as an indicator of potential inhibitors of the PCR and a detector of suboptimal PCR conditions. Compared to virus isolation and immunofluorescence-based antigen detection, the multiplex assay yielded higher detection rates for all viruses represented in the assay. The turnaround time for performance of the assay was markedly reduced compared to those for the other techniques used to identify these viruses. More than 21,000 tests have been performed using the assay. Overall, the multiplex PCR enabled the detection of substantially increased numbers of herpesviruses, in some cases in specimens or anatomical sites where previously they were rarely if ever identified using traditional detection methods.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: VIDRL, 10 Wreckyn St., North Melbourne 3051, Victoria, Australia. Phone: (61 3) 93422626. Fax: (61 3) 93422666. Email: chris.birch{at}mh.org.au.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2002, p. 1728-1732, Vol. 40, No. 5
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.5.1728-1732.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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