Sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests for genital infection with herpesvirus hominis

Three smear techniques for diagnosis of Herpesvirus hominis infection were evaluated by study of 168 unselected patients with genital lesions attending a venereal disease clinic. A tissue culture and results of three smear techniques were obtained for each patient in random order. H. hominis was recovered from 101 patients (60%). All three smear tests (immunofluorescence, Papanicolaou, and crystal violet) were highly specific, but the sensitivity of each was smaller than or equal to 40% among patients who had ulcerative lesions. Because H. hominis is a common cause of genital lesions and the clinical manifestations of disease are highly variable, future research must identify accurate diagnostic aids that are suitable for clinic use.