(located at Childrens Hospital and Regional Medical Center)
Rhoda Ashley Morrow, PhD; Lawrence Corey, MD
The viral diagnostic lab performs about 50,000 serologic tests per year. These tests include a variety of assays such as ELISA, Western blot and immunofluorescence. The infectious agents of interest include: Hepatitis A, B, and C; HSV, CMV, VZ and EBV; HHV-6, -7, and -8; measles, mumps and rubella; Coxsackie B.
The diagnostic laboratory also performs about 47,000 virus detection assays per year for HSV-1 and -2, CMV, VZV; respiratory viruses, including influenza A and B and RSV; adenoviruses; and enteroviruses, including coxsackie A and B, polio and ECHO viruses.
Development of new cost effective and accurate test methods is a key component. Recent efforts include a novel serology for HHV-8 and improved testing algorithms for EBV antibodies. See Viral Diagnostics Research & Development
Rea TD, Ashley RL, Russo JE, Buchwald DS. A systematic study of Epstein-barr Virus serologic assays following acute infection. Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:156-161.
Casper C, Krantz E, Taylor H, Dalessio J, Carrell D, Wald A, Corey L, Ashley R. Assessment of a combined testing strategy for the detection of antibodies to human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) in persons with kaposi's sarcoma, persons with asymptomatic HHV-8 infection, and person at low risk for HHV-8 infection. J Clin Microbiol 2002;40:3822-3825.
Ashley-Morrow R, Krantz E, Wald A. Time course of seroconversion by HerpeSelect ELISA after acquisition of genital herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or HSV-2. Sex Transm Dis 2003; 30:310-314.
Morrow RA, Friedrich D. Inaccuracy of certain commercial enzyme immunoassays in diagnosing genital infections with herpes simples virus type 1 or 2. American J Clin Pathol 2003; 120:839-844.
Kimball LE, Casper C, Koelle DM, Morrow R, Corey L, Vieira J. Reduced levels of neutralizing antibodies to Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in persons with a history of Kaposi’s Sarcoma. J Infect Dis 2004; 189: 2016-22.
Chohan BH, Taylor H, Obrigewitch R, Lavreys L, Richardson BA, Mandaliya KN, Bwayo JJ, Kreiss JK, Morrow R. Human herpesvirus 8 seroconversion in Kenyan women by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence assay. J Clin Virol 2004;30:137-44 .
