Rapid detection of herpes simplex virus in clinical specimens with human embryonic lung fibroblast and primary rabbit kidney cell cultures.

The performance of a culture system for isolation of herpes simplex virus, consisting of one tube each of human embryonic lung fibroblasts and primary rabbit kidney cells, was evaluated. Cultures were incubated at 37 degrees C on a roller drum and observed daily for characteristic cytopathic effect for 5 days. During 1982, a positive isolation rate of 28.1% was seen among 3,154 specimens submitted. Cultures from genital sources were positive more frequently from males (43.8%) than from females (25.5%). Oral lesion cultures were positive as often from males (34.6%) as from females (38.4%). Although detection of herpes simplex virus occurred significantly earlier in rabbit kidney cells on days 1 and 2 of incubation, by day 3 the number of positive cultures was nearly the same in both cell types. By day 4 of incubation, 99.5% of the positive cultures were detected. These results demonstrate that cell culture can be a rapid and sensitive method for detecting herpes simplex virus.