Application of Molecular Diagnostic Techniques for Viral Testing

Cobo, Fernando

VZV is a cause of CNS disease such as encephalitis, myelitis and acute meningitis. In a retrospective study, VZV DNA was detected from 5% of CSF specimens [47] . Realtime PCR assay provide rapid and sensitive confirmation of VZV from clinical specimens obtained from several samples such as exudate from skin lesions, broncho-alveolar lavage and CSF [52, 53] . Several studies comparing different assays against real-time PCR have demonstrated that VZV DNA was detected in more samples that the rest of techniques [53, 54] . Moreover, PCR-based testing was highly specific because no cross-reactivity was identified when tested against several other viruses. PCR testing is also useful for other indications such as the diagnosis of VZV infection in a patient with vaccine-modified infection [55] , as well as testing of serum or blood might also be helpful in the transplant patient who has visceral disease prior to the appearance of cutaneous lesions [56] .