Restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphisms of amplified herpes simplex virus type-1 DNA provide epidemiologic...

Human herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) DNA of isolates from patients in a large teaching hospital was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products targeted approximately 2100 nt regions of relatively low G + C content. Comparison of restriction enzyme digests of amplified DNA showed variation useful for strain differentiation. Twelve nonrelated HSV-1 were differentiated from one another. In contrast, specimens epidemiologically related in an outbreak were indistinguishable from each other. Restriction endonuclease analysis of amplified HSV-1 sequences appears to be useful for molecular epidemiology and laboratory quality control to detect possible contamination by PCR products.