Detecting Herpesviruses in Patients Without Symptoms
Author Information
Author(s): Sundén Birgitta, Larsson Marie, Falkeborn Tina, Paues Jakob, Forsum Urban, Lindh Magnus, Ydrenius Liselotte, Åkerlind Britt, Serrander Lena
Primary Institution: Linköping University
Hypothesis
Can herpes- or enterovirus be detected in cerebrospinal fluid from patients without symptoms of viral CNS infection?
Conclusion
Viral pathogens are rarely detected in CSF from patients without signs of CNS infection, indicating that real-time PCR is a specific method for detecting symptomatic CNS infections caused by these viruses.
Supporting Evidence
- Viral nucleic acid was detected in 15 patients (9%) in the first patient group.
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the most commonly detected virus.
- MDA did not increase the sensitivity for herpes virus detection.
Takeaway
The study looked at whether certain viruses could be found in the fluid around the brain in people who didn't show any signs of infection, and found that they usually weren't there.
Methodology
Cerebrospinal fluid samples from 373 patients were analyzed using real-time PCR targeting herpesviruses or enteroviruses, with or without prior multiple displacement amplification.
Limitations
The study primarily included patients without suspected viral infection, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
{"total_patients":373,"patient_group_1":{"size":167,"median_age":55,"gender_distribution":{"men":47,"women":53}},"patient_group_2":{"size":206,"median_age":49,"gender_distribution":{"men":45,"women":55}}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website