Storch GA; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1994 Oct 4-7; 275.
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
Virology laboratories have pioneered in implementing rapid diagnostic methods, including antigen detection by fluorescent antibody staining or enzyme immunoassay, centrifugation-shell vial culture, IgM antibody detection, and PCR. For respiratory syncytial virus and rotavirus, antigen detection methods are rapid, sensitive, and specific. Antigen detection applied to other respiratory viruses such as influenza and parainfluenza is less sensitive, and in most laboratories requires backup by other methods. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia can now be detected rapidly by shell vial culture, antigen detection applied to leukocytes, or PCR. With the increasing use of antiviral drugs directed at CMV and other viral infections, virology laboratories may be called upon to develop quantitative versions of these assays for the purpose of assessing viral load and monitoring response to therapy. The diagnosis of viral infections of the central nervous system may be greatly facilitated by PCR. The diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis by PCR performed on CSF is a major advance, and if it proves sufficiently sensitive, could be cost savings by decreasing use of antiviral therapy for presumed HSV encephalitis. PCR is also promising for the diagnosis of other viral infections including those caused by the enterovirus group, CMV, EBV, and JC virus. Viral diagnostic testing is of great clinical relevance in selected settings, resulting in demands at some institutions for availability of rapid diagnostic tests "around the clock." At the same time, some institutions may limit the use of viral diagnostic tests by implementing clinical algorithms which use clinical and epidemiologic factors to minimize laboratory diagnosis. In the current environment, the potential high cost of expanded virologic testing will require careful cost- benefit evaluation which ideally will be carried out jointly by clinicians and laboratorians.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Enterovirus
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique
- Immunoenzyme Techniques
- Paramyxoviridae Infections
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
- Simplexvirus
- Virus Diseases
- Viruses
- diagnosis
- virology
Other ID:
UI: 102213962
From Meeting Abstracts