Evaluation of solubilized herpes simplex virus membrane antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

An antigen prepared by solubilization of membranes from herpes simplex virus (HSV)-infected cells with deoxycholate was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The deoxycholate-solubilized antigen, previously shown to contain all major HSV glycoproteins, was noninfectious and adsorbed easily and reproducibly to a polystyrene surface at pH 9.6. The deoxycholate-solubilized antigen provided an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of high sensitivity and reproducibility with complete correlation with complement fixation for the diagnosis of acute HSV infection. The correlation with neutralization and immunofluorescence for the presence or absence of anti-HSV activity was very good. Comparison with an HSV envelope preparation yielded results slightly in favor of the deoxycholate-solubilized antigen. The assay seems to be useful for demonstration of intrathecal production of antibody activity in HSV encephalitis.