Table 3

Virus culture and PCR results, by lesion characteristics

Lesion type*Lesion duration†
Vesicle (%)Ulcer (%)Crusting lesion (%)p Value1–5 days (%)6–10 days (%)>10 days (%)p Value
*Lesion type unknown in 28 patients.
†Lesion duration unknown in 12 patients.
Culture and PCR positive15 (51.7%)62 (40.5%)5 (19.2%)0.04652 (47.3%)27 (44.3%)9 (16.9%)<0.01
Culture −ve PCR +ve2 (6.9%)17 (11.1%)1 (3.8%)0.0212 (10.9%)3 (4.9%)3 (5.7%)<0.01
Culture and PCR negative12 (41.4%)74 (48.4%)20 (76.9%)46 (41.8%)31 (50.8%)41 (77.4%)
Total29 (100%)153 (100%)26 (100%)110 (100%)61 (100%)53 (100%)