Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Antibodies Using the Whole Virus and Recombinant gD

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) remains a potentially serious health problem world wide. All infected people, including asymptomatic ones, are potential sources for virus transmission. Virus envelope contains at least 13 glycoproteins, which glycoprotein D is the major target of immune responses. The aim of this study was development of a specific method that is a more rapid, sensitive and specific test compared to the virus neutralization test which is applied as gold standard test. In this study, the Western blot technique using crude HSV1 whole particle and baculovirus derived glycoprotein D of HSV1 as antigens was set. Human sera were analyzed by virus neutralization test and then serum samples with reciprocal virus neutralization antibody titers of 32, 64, and 128 were taken to be analyzed by Western blotting. It was shown that there was a very good correlation between results obtained from virus neutralization antibody titers and those of Western blotting. Western blotting using recombinant glycoprotein D of HSV1 as an antigen showed positive results similar to the whole HSV1 antigen. Our study showed the Western blotting using recombinant glycoprotein D can replace virus neutralization test in diagnosis of HSV1 infections.