Herpes Simplex (HSV) Antibody Rapid Tests

One-step HSV-2 IgM & HSV-2 Serum Test

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-2) IgM test cassette and HSV-2 IgG test cassette are two types of serum antibody test devices, which are used to respectively detect the IgM and IgG antibodies to the virus of herpes simplex in human serum or plasma samples. The two HSV-2 screening tests are intended to screen the samples of the patient who are susceptible to the herpes complex virus. For the positive testing results with any of the HSV-2 antibody test, more complex quantitative test must be performed before any clinical conclusion can be made.

Clinical Meanings of HSV-2 Serum Test

HSV-2 is the primary cause of initial and recurrent genital herpes and neonatal HSV. Reactivation of latent HSV infection is a frequent complication of immunosuppression due to cancer, transplantation and AIDS.

The detection of HSV-2 IgM antibody enables effective diagnosis of acute or recent CMV infection. The test is particularly useful for the follow-up of pregnant women, who were not previously exposed to HSV-2 and consequently are not protected against the virus. In addition, determination of specific IgM antibody in the newborn is useful for the diagnosis of congenital HSV-2 infection. If a patient has antibodies to HSV-2, it is indicative of infection with the virus regardless of symptomology. Determination of a patient’s HSV-2 serological status using a type-specific antibody test enables the physician to make appropriate interventions for treatments and professional guidance.

HSV-2 Rapid Serum Test Principle

HSV-2 IgM cassette and HSV-2 IgG cassette are of the same testing principle. Take the first as example. HSV-2 antibody test is based on the principle of Gold Immuno-chromatography Assay (GICA). On the mambrane strip, anti-human HSV-2 IgM monoclonal antibody and recombinant HSV-2 IgM antigen are coated on different layers of the strips. When the serum or plasma sample is added, the HSV-2 IgM antibody, if any, will act with anti-human HSV-1 IgM monoclonal antibody in one layer of mambrane strip at the sample well. And complexes will emerge and move on chromatographically to the test region (T), where these complexes will be captured by the pre-coated recombinant HSV-2 antigen. A complex of double sandwich structure will form, and a red line will appear in the test region, indicating a positive result. The unbounded complex moves on to the control region (C), where they are captured by the anti-mouse antibody, and a red line will appear, indicating the assay is a valid one. In this way, the control line provides an internal quality control mechanism for the HSV antibody test device.