Differentiation of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 by sensitivity to (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine

Selective inhibition of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 replication but not of HSV type 2 replication by (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) was utilized to differentiate clinical isolates of these viruses. BVDU (0.7 microgram/ml) reduced HSV type 1 PFU by an average of 2.74 log10, but had no effect on the plaque-forming ability of HSV type 2 isolates. The incorporation of BVDU into the media of primary cell cultures used for virus isolation in the clinical laboratory allowed for the correct presumptive identification of HSV types.