ELVIRA HSV, a yield reduction assay for rapid herpes simplex virus susceptibility testing

Abstract

A colorimetric yield reduction assay, ELVIRA (enzyme-linked virus inhibitor reporter assay) HSV, was developed to determine the antiviral drug susceptibilities of herpes simplex virus (HSV). It uses an HSV-inducible reporter cell line. This simple and rapid assay has an objective readout, low inoculum size, and good reproducibility. The results correlate well with those of the plaque reduction assay.

FIG. 1.

Schematic overview of ELVIRA HSV procedure. RT, room temperature; OD, optical density.

FIG. 2.

The effect of duration of infection of HFF cells on sensitivity of ELVIRA HSV. HFF cell monolayers were infected with a range of HSV-1 inocula; and ELVIRA reporter cells were added after 12, 16, 20, and 24 h. Results are representative of four independent experiments performed in triplicate with HSV-1; error bars indicate SDs. OD, optical density.

FIG. 3.

Susceptibilities to ACV and PFA of well-characterized HSV strains and clinical isolates and clinical isolates from untreated patients determined by ELVIRA HSV (the results represent data combined from Table 1 and the Results).