Key result
Real-time PCR detected the HSV genome in 9.3% (22/236) of patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis, with viral loads ranging from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 10⁶ copies/mL of CSF.
Why the study?
Does real-time PCR quantitation of HSV DNA in CSF help evaluate the efficacy of antiviral therapy in patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis?
Observational (n=236)
Does real-time PCR quantitation of HSV DNA in CSF help evaluate the efficacy of antiviral therapy in patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis?
Quantitative real-time PCR of HSV DNA in CSF can detect viral load ranging from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 10(6) copies/mL, which is associated with the duration of antiviral treatment in patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis.
HSV viral load in CSF was associated with treatment duration; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is based on the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in patients' CSF samples. HSV DNA quantitation has the potential for estimating the effects of antiviral therapy. The aim of this study was to diagnose HSV DNA in HSE suspected patients and the quantitative analysis of its genome using real-time PCR to assess the value of the viral load in the course of antiviral treatment. The CSF samples were collected from 236 consecutive HSE suspected patients from November 2004 to May 2008. Upon DNA extraction, the samples were analyzed by Real-Time PCR assay. A set of primers amplified a common sequence of HSV glycoprotein B gene. The copy numbers of unknown samples were expressed via a standard curve drawn with a known amount of amplified cloned plasmid. Of the 236 samples, 137 (58%) came from males and 99 (42%) from females. The HSV genome was detected in 22 (9.3%) patients by PCR, 13 males/ 9 females. Serial CSF samples were available from 10 of the 22 patients. The range of the HSV DNA copy numbers in the clinical samples ranged from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 10(6) copies/mL of CSF. Quantitative PCR results can be helpful in evaluating the efficacy of antiviral therapy in the above-mentioned patients. There is an association between the initial viral load and the duration of treatment course.
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Ziyaeyan et al. (2011) conducted an observational in Suspected herpes simplex encephalitis (n=236). Real-time PCR for HSV DNA was evaluated on Detection of HSV genome. Real-time PCR detected the HSV genome in 9.3% (22/236) of patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis, with viral loads ranging from 2.5 × 10² to 1.7 × 10⁶ copies/mL of CSF.
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