PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - X F Fang AU - B Song AU - Y Y Tu AU - J Z Tong AU - J L Faul AU - H Bai TI - Rapid detection of glycoprotein G gene for the diagnosis and typing of herpes simplex virus infection in genital herpes. AID - 10.1136/sti.75.6.396 DP - 1999 Dec 01 TA - Sexually Transmitted Infections PG - 396--397 VI - 75 IP - 6 4099 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/75/6/396.short 4100 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/75/6/396.full SO - Sex Transm Infect1999 Dec 01; 75 AB - OBJECTIVE: To develop a new, rapid, and convenient technique for the diagnosis and typing of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in genital herpes (GH). METHODS: Using samples from skin vesicle fluid and urogenital mucosal swabs of subjects with GH, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (directed to polymerase gene: PCRpG) were compared with a newly developed PCR (directed to HSV glycoprotein gene: PCRgG). Both PCR methods were compared with virus isolation culture (VI) with indirect immunofluorescent staining (IIF). RESULTS: 80 samples from 40 GH patients (25 males) were tested. Positive results were seen in 52.5% (42/80) using PCRgG compared with 40% (32/80) by VI. Most of PCRgG positive samples (95.1%) were caused by HSV-2 infection. In samples from healing lesions, HSV was detected more often by PCRgG, than by VI. The results of typing by PCRgG and IIF were highly consistent. CONCLUSION: PCRgG is more sensitive than VI and PCRgG in detecting HSV in urogenital samples from subjects with GH. PCRgG is a convenient technique for the rapid detection and typing of GH.