Human Herpesviruses

After primary infection herpesviruses establish a latency and persist in host's cells for life. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Varicella zoster virus (VZV) are latent in ganglia, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in salivary glands, kidney tissue and in macrophages, while Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and other lymphotropic herpesviruses (herpesvirus 6, 7 and 8) find its final target in lymphocytes. Very often herpesviruses reactivate due to several reasons. When reactivations are clinically expressed they are usually mild. The importance of viruses in the herpesvirus family has increased extensively with advances of transplantation medicine, with the epidemic of HIV infection and with the classification of herpesviruses as sexually transmitted agents.

While some primary herpesvirus infections are so clinically well defined that laboratory diagnosis is not obligatory, in most cases the herpesvirus etiology should be confirmed in order to insure administration of the proper therapy. Using PCR it is possible to detect even a very few viral DNA copies, absolutely confirming the presence of virus.

Multiplexion - Advanced Detection