Use of immunoperoxidase for rapid diagnosis of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection.

The indirect immunoperoxidase method was applied to the rapid diagnosis of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection. Specimens were obtained directly from lesions at various stages in their evolution. The immunoperoxidase method identified herpes simplex virus-infected cells in 91% of vesicular lesions which were positive by standard virological culture. At later stages, the number of cases that could be diagnosed decreased appreciably. The immunoperoxidase method appears to be a rapid and reliable method for the diagnosis of early herpes simplex virus infection.