Reader’s Choice #7
A more accurate diagnosis with a faster turnaround time could pave the way to fewer unintended infections in adults and neonates
Two diagnositc tests, Premier Type-specific HSV-1 IgG ELISA Test and Premier Type-specific HSV-2 IgG ELISA Test, are the first FDA-cleared medical tests that have been proven to distinguish between Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (oral) and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (genital). Herpes Simplex Virus infection, the third most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the United States, infects from 200,000 to 500,000 people annually. About two-thirds of the 30 million Americans infected have no symptoms. Undiagnosed infections represent one of the main reasons HSV-2 is transmitted to sexual partners and infants. Most commercial serological tests, which use the whole antigen, cannot distinguish between HSV Type 1 and Type 2. Premier, which targets a specific lycoprotein, does not have cross-reactivity problems. Turnaround time is less than two hours compared with a couple of days for a Western Blot. The CDC has recommended type-specific testing for HSV-2. A more precise diagnosis should help stem the tide of infection that has grown more than 30 percent in two decades.
Meridian Diagnostics Inc.
KEYWORD: reagent, assay, ELISA, herpes, STD
