Comparison of PCR, virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining in the detection of naturally occurring feline herpesvirus infections

Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins 80523, USA.

Cats with clinical signs suggestive of ocular infection with feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV 1) and cats without such signs were assayed by 3 methods to detect FHV. Comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining techniques for the detection of FHV demonstrated higher sensitivity of PCR in detecting this common infectious agent of cats. Compared with PCR, sensitivity and specificity for virus isolation was 49% and 100%, respectively, and those of indirect immunofluorescence were 29% and 96%, respectively. FHV was detected in 13.7% of client-owned cats with conjunctivitis and in 31% of shelter cats with no ocular signs. The use of FHV PCR as a diagnostic test for FHV-associated disease is limited because of the occurrence of healthy carriers.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Helps, N. Reeves, K. Egan, P. Howard, and D. Harbour Detection of Chlamydophila felis and Feline Herpesvirus by Multiplex Real-Time PCR Analysis J. Clin. Microbiol., June 1, 2003; 41(6): 2734 - 2736. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Vogtlin, C. Fraefel, S. Albini, C. M. Leutenegger, E. Schraner, B. Spiess, H. Lutz, and M. Ackermann Quantification of Feline Herpesvirus 1 DNA in Ocular Fluid Samples of Clinically Diseased Cats by Real-Time TaqMan PCR J. Clin. Microbiol., February 1, 2002; 40(2): 519 - 523. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]