Detection of herpes simplex virus by measurement of luciferase activity in an infected-cell lysate

A stably transformed cell line (BHKICP6LucA6) has been isolated which expresses high levels of luciferase activity following infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV). The genome of this cell line contains an HSV-1 promoter-luciferase chimeric gene. Infected BHKICP6LucA6 cells exhibit a level of luciferase activity 5 x 10(5) higher than mock-infected cells. This signal-to-noise ratio is of a sufficient magnitude that measurement of the luciferase activity of an infected-cell lysate can detect a single infected cell when a practical number of cells is used in the assay. This approach to the detection of infectious virus could be useful in a number of circumstances and may be adaptable to an automated assay which could become a useful means for diagnostic laboratories to detect viruses in clinical specimens.