Relative sensitivity of cell culture systems in the detection of herpes simplex viruses

Guinea pig embryonic fibroblasts were more sensitive and McCoy and Hep-2 cells were less sensitive than human foreskin fibroblasts in parallel titrations of herpes simplex virus. No difference in sensitivity was found for five lines of human fetal lung fibroblasts (including WI-38 cells), two lines of human embryo fibroblasts, one line of human foreskin fibroblasts, cells from a human fetal kidney, amnion cells from a human placenta, the Chang liver cell, the HeLa cell, and a line of mink cells. The cell doubling level of human or guinea pig fibroblast lines did not affect their sensitivity. One hundred ninety-five clinical specimens submitted for herpes simplex virus isolations were tested in parallel in primary rabbit kidney, guinea pig embryo, and human fetal lung fibroblast cultures. The percentages of positive or false-negative cultures were essentially the same for the three types of cells.